Door County Living - Autumn 2024

TAKE CHARGE

editor Myles Dannhausen Jr.

copy editor Sam Watson

creative director Katie Hohmann

design associate Renee Puccini

sales managers

Jess Farley, Stephen Grutzmacher

courier

The Paper Boy, LLC

distribution experts Jeff Andersen, Chris Eckland, Todd Jahnke, David Nielsen, Gavin Jahnke, Guy Fortin, Dan Farrell

office manager Ben Pothast

assistant office manager Kait Shanks

chief technology officer Nate Bell

contributors Remy Carmichael, Sally Collins, Cynthia Kraack, Jess Farley, Raeona Jordan, Brett Kosmider, Charlotte Lukes, Jeff Malmgren, John Mielke, Larry Mohr, Kevin O’Donnell, Sam Watson

publisher David Eliot

owners David Eliot and Myles Dannhausen Jr.

Door County Living, Inc. 8142 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 920.839.2120 info@doorcountyliving.com doorcountypulse.com

Volume 22 Issue 3 21,700 copies (17,047 mailed)

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14 CURIOSITIES

18 ALUMNI

Nurtured at Nicolet

Jon Ellmann’s road to coaching acclaim began in the park

24 DOOR TO NATURE

Puffing Up

Charlotte Lukas on the fascinatingly large puffball mushroom.

30 PERFORMANCE

Making it Up As They Go

The Knobs bring improv to the local stage

36 OUTDOOR

Casting for the Rhythm of the Fly

44 ON YOUR PLATE

The Sweet Spot Pies with soul

50 ART

Larger than Life

The Big Art of Zane Statz

59 LITERATURE

The Write Space

A campus comes into its own in Juddville

66 HISTORY

Bringing History to the People

Project puts displays where they can’t be missed

70 FEATURE

Accessible Door

Peninsula venues and parks focus on access

On the Cover:

A kayaker paddles toward the Mink River in Rowley’s Bay. Photo by Augie Bataglia.

80 ESSAY Wreck of the Sea Bird

84 FAIRWAYS

Little Eddie, Big Cause

Golf tourney celebrates a friend and fights mental illness

90 ON YOUR PLATE A Tasty Memory Panang Squash Curry

96 IN YOUR GLASS Fall Flavors

Three cocktails for your autumn repertoire

EDITOR’S NOTE 9

CONTRIBUTORS 10

RESTAURANT GUIDE 102

Fog rolls over the lake onto Clay Banks in southern Door County. Photo by Kevin O’Donnell.

First Timers

When I left my house at 3:55 in the morning, I wished I had said no, or found an excuse.

For a year, I had been trying to find a time to get a photographer for this magazine on a charter fishing boat out of Baileys Harbor at first light. This proved more difficult than we thought because we had to line up A) a photographer willing to get up well before dawn; B) an open seat on a boat for a fishing business that has only a couple of months to make hay; and C) good weather for both fishing and photos.

So when Todd Haleen of Lakeshore Adventures called a couple of days earlier and said he could take us out on Tuesday morning, I wanted to say no – my calendar was plenty full already. But, I also knew there wasn’t going to be a perfect time for this, and when my Dad said he was up for it, my commitment was made.

Forty years ago, my parents had a bait and tackle shop in Egg Harbor. Mom would fill spawn sacks for sport fishers, and dad would rent out and repair boats. I would kill time watching the minnows flutter to the hum of the tank, hunt for night-crawlers with my brother, or get scolded for playing with the lures and bobbers we needed to sell to cover the mortgage.

Though some of my earliest memories include a backdrop of fishing supplies in that shop, I had never actually gone sportfishing myself. Neither had my dad. And aside from paddling a kayak along the shore, neither of us had ever been out on the water of the lakeside before.

So we met our photographer, Larry Mohr, and off we went from the Baileys Harbor marina, almost five hours before our offices at the Peninsula Pulse and Door County Living opened. The air was unusually warm for the lakeside, and the water almost impossibly calm. Near 5 am, the first rays of the sunrise were casting a slight glow on the Cana Island lighthouse as I saw it from the water for the first time.

Todd put a line in the water, and almost instantly, I was grabbing the pole from him, reeling in our first salmon of

the morning. My first salmon. A few minutes and one small bruise on my hip later, Todd pulled it in with his net – the largest fish I’ve ever caught.

Not long after, dad did the same, and Larry too. We finished with 12 salmon for the morning.

But the fishing was only a part of what caught me that morning. Looking out at the seven other fishing boats on the water and the horizon where the line between the calm water and cloudless sky blurred, I thought about this other version of the Door that calls to these folks. A version I, 45 years into life here, had never experienced. The early mornings on the lake – usually much cooler and rougher than today – chasing fish. A layer of my home my dad and I were seeing for the first time.

As I soaked it in, Todd got a call from his other charter captain, who warned him that if he wanted to come by for a photo, he shouldn’t get too close – they had a big fish on the line. So we made our way to them, and Todd pulled up slowly about 50 yards to his east.

We were there just in time to watch 10-year-old Wyatt Klasing reel in a fat salmon as his father held onto his waist. We cheered as they pulled it into the boat, and as the captain held it up, Wyatt raised his arms in the air and shouted to us across the water, “I caught the fish!”

He was shouting the same words I thought to myself when I reeled mine in at first light. Just a couple of boys on the lake fishing with their dads, proving it’s never too early, or too late, to try something for the first time.

–Myles Dannhausen Jr.

Wyatt Keesling holds up the salmon he just reeled in as a fishing guide from Lakeshore Adventures looks on.

Photo by Larry Mohr.

CONTRI BUTORS

REMY CARMICHAEL is a high school student from Baileys Harbor with a background in ballet and an interest in photojournalism.

SALLY COLLINS’ work has appeared regularly in the Peninsula Pulse and Door County Living. Her debut novel, Muddled Cherries, is now available from local booksellers or sallycollinswrites.com.

CYNTHIA KRAACK, and husband Tom, have split time for decades between Fish Creek and Minnesota. An author and founding board member of Write On, Door County, her books always sneak in a mention of the county.

Writer and editor MYLES DANNHAUSEN JR. has been searching out stories for Door County Living since 2005. He lives outside Sister Bay with his wife and two boys.

JESS FARLEY-NIELSEN lives in Jacksonport with her husband David Nielsen, their dogs Berndette and Elwood, and her son, Wyatt. Feeding friends and family feeds their souls.

KATIE HOHMANN is the creative director of the Peninsula Pulse and Door County Living, and when she isn’t sitting at her desk, she’s standing at it. Her time outside the office is spent painting, paddleboarding and laughing in good company.

RAEONA JORDAN spent her career in newspapers, public relations and freelance writing. She has been active as part of the Friends of Door County Libraries’ Book and Author series.

Filmmaker and photographer BRETT KOSMIDER is a co-founder and filmmaker at Peninsula Filmworks.

Since the passing of her husband, Roy, in 2016, CHARLOTTE LUKES writes to fulfill his mission to help educate and inspire readers to learn, care for and protect our native species and the natural world.

JEFF MALMGREN has lived the cliche of leaving Illinois for Door County. Gibraltar classrooms taught him to love writing and he began his journalism career locally in 2002.

JOHN MIELKE and his wife, Patti, and their poodle, Riley, live on Rileys Bay. Together they enjoy exploring all Door County has to offer.

After retiring from a 36-year career in technology, LARRY MOHR is back behind the lens for the Peninsula Pulse and Door County Living. You can often find him on the trail with his wife and black lab.

KEVIN O’DONNELL is an award-winning author and professional photographer, a YouTube content creator and a master storyteller, who lives in Clay Banks.

SAM WATSON is an editorial assistant for the Peninsula Pulse. The UW-Madison grad lives in Baileys Harbor with her partner and three cats (Desmond, Penny and Kermit.) When she’s not working, she likes to crochet and watch bad horror movies.

DWELL DWELL

Curio sities

The Cross

In 1674, a Jesuit missionary moved with a group of Potawatomi tribe members to settle along the Mink River. Within two years, Father Louis Andre planted a cross on the north point of today’s Rowleys Bay. More than 200 years later, a reproduction of that cross was made from a beam from S.A. Rogers’ barn and erected at the Wagon Trail Resort on the south shore, as shown here. Today the reproduction cross stands on the Libery Grove Historical Society grounds to share this story from the past.

The Last Shipwreck

The Door County Maritime Museum lists more than 270 shipwrecks surrounding the peninsula and nearby islands, but most took place a century ago.

That is, said museum director Kevin Osgood, if you don’t count the pleasure boats that strike Dunlap Reef near the shipyard in Sturgeon Bay.

The last major shipwreck on Lake Michigan took place in fog and snow in November of 1960, when the Liberian freighter Francisco Morazan ran over the wreck of another freighter, the Walter Frost. Most of the ship still is visible above the waterline where it grounded off of South Manitou Island in Michigan waters, according to the National Park Service.

Two years earlier near Gull Island, halfway between Door County and the Straits of Mackinac, the 41-year-old, 639-foot-long SS Carl Bradley got caught in a storm with waves estimated at 45 to 60 feet in height.

“It split in two and sank, losing all hands with the exception of two survivors,” Osgood said of the November 1958 wreck, which claimed 33 lives.

An official U.S. Coast Guard investigation summarized that the hull broke in two due to “hogging” stress (arching at the top of waves), and that the captain used poor judgment when he departed from the shelter of the Wisconsin shore near Cana Island. The commandant of the Coast Guard issued a conflicting report that the ship broke up due to a structural or metallurgical defect.

Door County residents raised funds for families of the lost crew members at the annual marine ball in 1959, according to a Jan. 13, 1959, Door County Advocate news report.

Few major shipwrecks have occurred since 1940, the year of the Nov. 11 Armistice Day Blizzard that sank two freighters near Pentwater, Michigan.

– Craig Sterrett

Photos by Len Villano.

Painting by Ken Friedrich at the Door County Maritime Museum.

The Mast at Waterfront Park

At Sister Bay’s Waterfront Park, a ship’s mast stands near the rocks at the edge of the beach.

The mast was salvaged from the USS Pleiades, a ship that was once part of Aristotle Onassis’ fleet of 70 ships.

Helmuth Zielke, who owned Helm’s Four Seasons Resort, which once stood on the site, bought the mast from a salvage company in Sturgeon Bay and erected it on the property. The gaff-rigged flagpole was added to the mast sometime prior to

1986, and the folks at Helm’s always made sure that flags were flown from that pole.

Of course, the American flag always adorned the top, and once upon a time the national flag of every guest who was staying at the resort as well as the national flags of all their employees’ home countries were displayed. At one time there were over 40 national flags proudly waving in the breeze in Sister Bay.

Sturgeon Bay’s Michigan Street bridge, often just called the Steel Bridge, is a veterans memorial.

During dedication festivities on July 4, 1931, Milwaukee- and Green Bay-based military officers unveiled bronze plaques affixed to each end of the bridge, and local Civil War veterans rode in the parade.

Official names have not stuck for the historic lift bridge, which the Door County News only called “the Sturgeon Bay bridge” while repeatedly griping about a bump at the bridge approach in 1931 and 1932.

– Craig Sterrett

Photos by Craig Sterrett.

Photo by Remy Carmichael.

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Nurtured at Nicolet

Ellmann’s road to coaching acclaim began in the park

by JEFF MALMGREN

In 1993, Walter Ellmann managed the Peninsula State Park golf course in Ephraim. The picturesque place could have easily influenced the imagination of his grandson, Jon Ellmann, and set the youngster on a path towards becoming a passionate golfer. But instead, his grandson became enthralled by another plot of grass in the state park after he saw some wind-surfing masts planted in the ground near Nicolet Beach.

Nets hung between those poles, creating makeshift volleyball courts that intrigued a 14-year-old Jon Ellmann during his breaks from working at the beach’s concession stand. At first, he watched as college kids played on the courts they created – and then he and his friends started playing.

Now, a 45-year-old Ellmann coaches college kids, and he does it better than most of his peers.

A Fish Creek native, Ellmann was named the 2023 American Volleyball Coaches Association National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division III Coach of the Year in December. That was after he led the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh women’s team to a 37-2 record, including a 34-match winning streak that set a record for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in his seventh season as the Titans’ head coach.

The Titans have a 145-60 record under Ellmann, who was inducted into the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association (WVCA) Hall of Fame in 2021. He got that honor after serving as WVCA president for six years, and as co-director and head coach of the Wisconsin Volleyball Academy. He turned around the program at Lourdes Academy as head coach from 2004 to 2015. His coaching career began at the junior varsity level at his alma mater, Gibraltar High School, where he graduated in 1997.

Jon Ellmann where his volleyball journey began, on the courts at Nicolet Bay in Peninsula State Park. Photo by Larry Mohr.

“The bigger the challenge in whatever area, the more

“He’s a natural-born teacher,” said his wife Jackie Munoz-Ellmann, the principal of Neenah Middle School.

“It’s his ability to bring other people into his dreams and expand the sport and build up people.”

The couple met when they were college students at UW-Oshkosh. They married in 2011 and have two children, Theo (now 19) and Cooper (now 4.) Ellmann attended UW-Oshkosh as a “nontraditional student” for 13 years. He completed no more than one semester each year as he pursued his coaching career and spent five years working as a goldsmith apprentice for Paul Krause at Paul David Fine Jewelry in Fish Creek.

Eventually, Ellmann earned a bachelor’s degree in fine art with an art history minor as well as a master’s degree in educational leadership with an athletic program certificate. He also played for the men’s volleyball club team at UW-Oshkosh, despite having minimal experience in organized

volleyball since Door County offered few opportunities for boys.

But playing volleyball at Nicolet Beach in Peninsula State Park offered him all the experience he needed.

“It became the social center of our summers,” Ellmann said. “I just fell in love.”

In His Element

A few weeks before being interviewed for this story, Ellmann’s Honda Element car battery died.

He couldn’t find jumper cables and his youngest child needed a ride to school. So he rummaged around his garage, found some solar-panel cords and clamps, and fashioned them into a charging contraption.

“I was just like, ‘You did what?’” Jackie remembered. “But I wasn’t surprised. That’s what he does.”

Ellmann enjoys obstacles.

“The bigger the challenge in whatever area, the more exciting it gets for me,” he said.

Perhaps his automotive ingenuity is why some of his players call him when they have car problems. There’s a more likely explanation, though.

“He truly does care for us,” said Olivia Breunig, one of Ellmann’s athletes.

“The first person we call is Jon because we know he’ll have someone who can help us, or he’ll do it himself. He always has our back.”

Breunig, a junior captain setter in 2023, helped lead the Titans to the NCAA D-III tournament quarterfinals for the first time since 2009, as well as the Region 8 and WIAC championships. Those accomplishments helped Ellmann become the fourth person in WIAC volleyball history to earn NCAA Coach of the Year honors.

“It’s really a result of a whole lot of other people,” Ellmann said. “We

Ellmann is loved by players for his enthusiasm and building of team camaraderie on and off the court. Photos courtesy of University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh.

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had an amazing group of 24 student athletes that were really, really talented.”

Ellmann has not won any awards for his ability to accept praise.

“He’s never going to take the full credit for his achievements,” Jackie said. “He needs to stop and cherish the moment. But he’s just a really humble hardworker.”

Uncommon Ellmann

At every stop in his coaching career, Ellmann has left a lasting impression on his players.

“He has a very unique approach to how he interacts with student athletes,” said Oshkosh athletic director Darryl Sims. “It’s very, very refreshing.”

For instance, the Oshkosh Titans documented their incredible 2023 volleyball season as though it was 1993. In August, their coaches placed a vintage Kodak M35 camera and two rolls of film in each player’s locker as an emblem for Ellmann’s 2023 motto: “Capture it.”

“Even if the photos don’t turn out, if I find the camera in 20 years, I’ll think of this team and it’ll put a smile on my face,” Breunig said. “It was truly the best time of my life.”

Those cameras were small perks of the fundraising efforts Ellmann has led as he strives to operate like a Division I volleyball program despite Oshkosh’s limitations as a D-III school. The UW state budget allots approximately $25,000 per year, while the Titans –thanks to those fundraising efforts – spend more than four times that, Ellmann explained.

“I’d need to use my toes to count the number of things we get that aren’t very common,” Breunig said.

That includes the new locker room in Kolf Sports Center that Ellmann unveiled for his team last summer. He also expanded his staff beyond one assistant coach by adding another assistant, a nutritionist/strengthand-conditioning coach, and a sports psychologist.

“It’s motivating to think about what’s happening at the elite power programs on the Division I level,” Ellmann said.

“To hear everyone be authentic and put your heart on the line, that brought us super close.”

–Olivia Breunig

“Can we get close to that without the millions of dollars?”

The addition of the team psychologist stemmed from Ellmann’s interest in the mental side of sports. During one Zoom session, that psychologist asked each player to share with the group one hardship they endured and one hero they admired.

“To hear everyone be authentic and put your heart on the line, that brought us super close,” Breunig said. “I’ve never done anything like that, being that raw with a group of girls.”

Ellmann also asked the team to fill out daily online forms that gauged their stress levels based on factors like academic load, sleep, diet and relationships. If a player showed a spike in any area, Oshkosh’s coaches could reach out and offer aid.

“There are people right there to help if you’re feeling down,” Breunig said. “I’ve never experienced that before.”

That seems to be a common refrain about Ellmann’s program.

Ellmann addresses his team before a match. Photos courtesy of University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh.

Small puffballs can grow in masses on logs or on the ground.

by CHARLOTTE LUKES and photos by ROY LUKES

Wild mushrooms come in all colors, shapes and sizes. They grow on moss, soil, dead logs or standing trees. Many don’t have the plate-like gills on the underside of the cap like the white mushrooms or portabellos we see in the grocery store.

One of the more common and easilyidentifiable mushrooms is the giant puffball. This species can grow to the size of a basketball or larger. They are white and rather smooth-skinned when fresh. A few years ago, some of my friends found one so large that they cut a thick slice from the center and used it as a pizza crust.

This species is safe to eat if it is pure white and even-textured inside. No poisonous mushrooms have the same size and appearance as a giant puffball.

The skin peels off easily. I have fried half-inch thick, two-inch square slices in butter. This mushroom has little flavor, so plenty of spices or herbs must be added.

One can tell a giant puffball is becoming too old to eat if it is brown inside instead of pure white. As a giant puffball ages, the skin will peel back. The inside becomes a powdery brown mass of spores that are then distributed by the wind or rain.

Many types of small puffballs grow on dead fallen trees, in moss or on soil, often in clusters. These are in the genus lycoperdon Lycos is Greek for “wolf” and perdon means “passing wind,” or “to fart.” Those definitions were determined by the way they were pronounced in Europe. One must examine the interior to make sure the mushroom is not a very young (and very deadly) amanita mushroom or a stinkhorn egg.

These small puffballs are completely white and even-textured inside when they’re cut in half. If you find one

that is dark inside, it is too old to eat, or it might be a poison puffball, a scleroderma species. These firm mushrooms have a rough, browner outer surface.

If you find some over-mature puffballs and pat them, a great quantity of brown spores will blow out of the hole in the top, like passing wind. It is important to not inhale this large spore mass. Some teenagers did that in southern Wisconsin and landed in the hospital with lung infections.

The lycoperdon genus includes nearly 50 species. Many appear similar from a distance, but their surface particles tell a different story. Try using a 10-power magnifying hand lens to examine the mushroom’s surface coating.

These small puffballs have been found on Rock and Washington Islands, Newport State Park, the Mink River Preserve, The Ridges Sanctuary, Toft Point State Natural Area, Whitefish Dunes State Park, Logan Creek and several Door County Land Trust preserves. L. perlatum is thought to be the most common puffball in North America.

One factor to consider when identifying a mushroom is where it is

The ruddy puffball has a distinctive net-like surface.

This giant puffball, found in Carlsville by Donald Kreuger, is one of the biggest Roy and I have ever seen.

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growing. Some develop only on dead wood on the ground; others grow on the soil. If they are found growing on moss there might be a dead log underneath. One species can grow on wood chips.

On a mid-September day, my husband Roy and I were leading field trips at Jackson Harbor on Washington Island when someone found a stemmed puffball. It was partly buried in sand near the shore. It measured only three centimeters tall, with the puffball top only one centimeter wide. Its name, tulostoma simulans, refers to the fact that it simulates another organism, in this case the puffball.

A trip to Rock Island in September 2010 was the first time we ever found the ruddy puffball, morganella subincarnatum. It is also known as lycoperdon subincarnatum. The surface of these fresh puffballs has a brownish net-like pattern of converging spines, which is quite beautiful close up. These have since been found at Whitefish Dunes State Park.

Eating wild mushrooms can be a dangerous activity if you don’t thoroughly examine and correctly identify the species you plan to eat. Many will make you sick to your stomach and force you to expel the culprits; others can destroy your liver and kidneys. If in doubt, throw them out!

Puffing Puffing Puffing Up PuffingPuffingUp

Top The spines on the surface of small puffballs can rub off easily.

Middle As a giant puffball ages, the skin peels back to release trillions of brown spores.

Bottom The top of this photo shows what the spores look like when expelled from a puffball, like brown smoke.

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As They Go Making It Up

The

Knobs bring improv

to the local stage

by RAEONNA JORDAN and photos by LARRY MOHR

If you’re a classic Hollywood fan, you might remember Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland’s iconic line: “I know! Let’s put on a show in the old barn!”

A few years back, a group of Door County friends did exactly that. Their new improv group, The Knobs, strode onstage at the barn – the Peach Barn Farmhouse and Brewery, to be precise – and made their debut to a standing-room-only crowd in October 2022.

The original group included six people: Abby Doobie, Owen Alabado, brothers Matt and Josh Stone, and cousins Hope and Brandon Bogenschutz. When Josh moved away for a stretch last winter, two new members – Anna Snell and Buck McKay – signed on. Snell, Doobie and the

Bogenschutzes are all Door County natives and Gibraltar High School grads.

Collectively, the group claims varied levels of professional experience. Alabado is the veteran. He spent 17 years in Los Angeles, where, in addition to doing improv and stand-up comedy, he worked as an acting coach and made several films.

“I spent a dozen years doing stand-up, but I’ve always loved improv,” he said. “It’s such a playful, meaningful way to be creative.”

Alabama native McKay began with an introductory improv class while he was in Japan. “I’m a major comedy nerd,” he said. “Beginning with that class, I immediately fell in love with everything improv.” He has since studied and performed in major cities as his work took him around the country.

Brandon Bogenschutz earned a theater degree from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and has numerous stage credits along with a role in Alabado’s film “Two Truths and a Lie,” which was screened at the 2024 Door County Short Film Fest.

What’s the worst place you’ve been taken on a date?

Town board meeting. The gym.

Hope Bogenschutz wrote and performed standup in Milwaukee for several years.

Newcomer Snell’s history was limited to high school musicals and plays. Stone and Doobie nurtured a strong interest in improv, but never pursued it. But Doobie’s interest in improv was piqued when she followed a friend’s recommendation and took several improv classes in Chicago. That inspired her to approach Alabado about starting a local improv group, and soon The Knobs took shape.

Stage and screen lore is littered with the names of major show biz folks who admit to extreme stage fright, from Henry Fonda and Lauren Bacall to Adele and Barbara Streisand. You might think that stepping onto the improv stage with no script and no idea of where the next hour will take you would bring on the same, but that’s not the case for The Knobs. Even the youngest and least experienced member, Snell, said she hasn’t found it intimidating.

“You just rip the band-aid off and start,” she said. “If it’s bad, well, you just do better next time.” Indeed, for all these players, the notion of flying without a net is no big deal.

“We are each other’s net,” Hope Bogenschutz said.

“If you trip and fall in stand-up, it’s so difficult to get back up,” Alabado said. “But if you trip and fall in improv – and it doesn’t happen that

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often there’s a team behind you and an audience behind you. You bring them in on the laugh.”

Not all improv groups have that sense of teamwork. Alabado can attest to that thanks to his years on the West Coast.

“In LA, everyone is trying to stand out, be discovered,” Alabado said. “I’m ecstatic that improv has been a part of my life here for the past two years, especially because you’re doing it with your friends. We are there to boost one another up, make each other better. We’re friends, not competitors.”

Stone concurred. “I’ve worked in improv programs with people with immense talent who have gone on to success in comedy, but it was all about them getting the laugh,” he said. “For us, it’s just about making the scene work and getting a laugh.”

When performing improv, McKay said, it’s imperative that you have no shame.

May we have an object you may find in your car?

The Second Trip to the Lighthouse! Teddy Bears in Paradise!

“The absolute worst improvisers are cool people,” McKay said.

According to Stone, the best part of improv is “starting off with no map.”

“It’s like a muscle that you develop –it just has to go into action,” Brandon Bogenschutz said. “It’s like building a plane while you’re flying it.”

The Knobs’ improv is “short form” – two- to 10-minute scenes, all off-thecuff and based on different categories within set games. Each scene begins with a brief introduction and a request for audience suggestions – for a location, an item, a situation.

And there’s an art to choosing which call-out to accept.“You always, always want to take a second before settling on a suggestion,” Stone said. “Some people want to be part of the comedy, too; they try to say something they think is funny. But comedy doesn’t come from something with comedy built in.”

Coming Shows from The Knobs

Se pt. 25 , Th e Carrington

7643 Hillside Rd, Egg Harbor

Oct. 15 , Peach Barn Farmhou se & Brewery

2450 S Bay Shore Dr, Sister Bay

What the group does not do is get political. “People come to our shows to escape reality,” Stone said. “There’s no agenda to a Knobs show; we’re just here to make people laugh.”

“It’s about bringing a community together, finding common ground,” Alabado said. “And what’s more common than laughter?”

Indoors

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Casting for the Rhythm of the Fly

by JOHN MIELKE and photos by BRETT KOSMIDER

When my editor floated the idea of a fly-fishing story, I took the bait.

My dad introduced me to fly fishing during our annual summer vacations in central Wisconsin. I can still see him in those army-green waders making smooth casts and then, with quick tugs of the line, retrieving the small, colorful popper. That looked way more appealing to me than sitting in a boat staring at a bobber.

But is fly fishing even a “thing” in Door County? I found the answer from

David Tupa, a retired environmental science teacher who grew up in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Tupa has been fly fishing for more than 40 years. Fishing various Door County streams and rivers, he says he can count on one hand the number of people he has seen with a fly rod.

“Most of the people are fishing with spinning gear or bait casting,” he said. “The streams in Door County are not that conducive to using a fly rod because there is not a lot of open sky, open space to do those long casts.

“Since I got hooked on using fly gear, I’m never going back to spinning gear. I just like the feel of using the fly rod and the ease of knowing that if I strip

out the exact amount of line from the reel, I can hit just a few inches short of the opposite bank and have a perfect drift.”

That’s the idea of fishing many of the streams and rivers in the county: flick the lure upstream and let it drift to the fish. It’s also important to know what the fish are feeding on so the fly imitates the food du jour.

Growing up in Door County, Jared Nellis enjoyed hunting and fishing and describes his younger self as a kid who always had to do something different. Nellis saw fly fishing on TV and decided to give it a try because it looked, well, different.

Jared Nellis unfurls a cast from the back of his fishing boat.

After a month of practice casts with his first fly rod and reel in the backyard, he and his dad went to a local stream. Nellis’ starter fishing equipment wasn’t too expensive, which turned out to be a good thing.

“Literally the first cast, I broke the rod,” he said.

But with the help of some birthday cash, Nellis bought a rod blank and some fly-tying gear. Building his own rods and tying his own flies allowed him to be involved with fly fishing even when he wasn’t fishing.

In addition to teaching, Nellis operates a fly-fishing guide service, Door County on the Fly, showing people where to fish and teaching them how to fly-fish.

Guiding, he says, is an extension of his work as a middle school art teacher.

“Fly fishing is truly an

art and a sport and a science,” he said. “It’s all these things that I love in my professional life and my personal life. And it’s fun.”

While Tupa spends most of his fishing time in the county’s cozy streams and rivers, Nellis works the open water in the Emerald Shiner, a boat he built himself.

On the Water

Nellis warned me that this kind of fly fishing didn’t involve the waders, small poppers and floating line of my youth. Rather, I should picture something akin to stalking tarpon or bonefish in the Bahamas, just 1,500 miles north.

It was a perfect late-June afternoon when I joined him on the boat: hazy sun, warm temps, clear water and a

Nellis displays one of his colorful lures.

light breeze. It was great for enjoying time on the water, but not the greatest for fishing; fish can see, too.

Tupa told the story of going after large brown trout on the Rush River in western Wisconsin. The trout were in crystal-clear water just 10 to 15 feet away.

“I could see them rise up and look at my [lure] presentation,” he said. “Then I could actually see their eyes look at the line and then they would look at me. The fish were teaching me something at that moment. Like, ‘We see your game here, we know what you’re up to.’”

Back in Door County, I met Nellis on the west side of Sturgeon Bay at the Sawyer Park boat launch. The Emerald Shiner was easy to spot and showcases his craftsmanship and attention to detail.

After the 10-minute trip to Sawyer Harbor, Nellis switched off the gas outboard and switched on the nearsilent electric trolling motor.

Nellis took one of the fly rods out of its holder and made a few smooth, fluid casts. Then came the moment of truth.

“Do you want to fish?” he asked me politely. “Or do you just plan to watch?”

My first few casts were not too bad. The handmade rod was light and felt as if I had used it many times before. Nellis explained the rhythm of casting and encouraged me to allow the line to load the rod. Then he showed me a cast with the rod out to the side rather than my over-the-top method. After three or four controlled movements, Nellis landed the fly line softly on the water far from the boat.

Time after time, Nellis made it look so easy. He told me to let the rod do the work. I was trying to, but I never quite got the hang of that side cast.

What Nellis was doing comes from years of perfecting your craft.

Patience

Fishing in Door County means incredible scenery and a wide variety of fish. Bass, salmon, trout, walleye,

Alash Tuvan Ensemble Angel Olsen

Enchanted Evening

Rosetta Tharpe

OUTDOOR

whitefish, perch, drum, pike and even muskie are found in area waters.

The smooth, clear water in Sawyer Harbor that afternoon allowed us to watch drum and bass follow Nellis’ lures, which resemble bait fish, minnows and insects. He makes them with everything from deer fur to sequined fabric. As Tupa mentioned, the idea is to present the fish with something that looks like what they’re feeding on. Apparently, these fish had already been to the buffet.

I was about to ask Nellis a question when out of nowhere, something hit his lure. I saw a quick flash of the bright, colorful, thick side of the fish – and then nothing. No lure, just line.

Thin monofilament leader is perfect for catching bass and drum because it’s hard for the fish to see. But often, it’s no match for the razor-like teeth of a large pike. Nellis quickly added a section of leader designed to resist abrasion, attached a sparkly new custom-tied fly and had the line back in the water. But the pike got away.

Reeling It In

As my conversation with Tupa drew to a close and it came time for Nellis and I to point the Emerald Shiner back toward the boat launch, I reflected on what it is about fly fishing that draws people to this form of angling.

Part of it is the challenge. For those who make their own rods and tie their own flies, and maybe even build their own boats, it’s the challenge of creating something that enables them to reach their ultimate goal.

And then there’s the other part.

Whether it’s remembering my dad as he casted in Lake Morris, listening to Tupa’s colorful stories about local rivers and streams, or joining Nellis in Sawyer Harbor on the Emerald Shiner, I found that with fly-fishing, it’s easy to get hooked.

HENRIETTE

Renard’s Cheese has been handcrafting Award-Winning Artisan Cheese since 1961, with over 100 varieties of Wisconsin cheese. While here, shop our wide selection of cheese, locally made gourmet goods and Door County gifts. Our on-site Melt Bistro features an upscale menu of Wisconsin classics, beer and cider Breakfast, lunch and early dinner options as well as take and bake meals and a full catering menu.

The Sweet Spot

by JOHN MIELKE and photos by LARRY MOHR

Whatever direction your pie passion leads you, Sweetie Pies, located just south of the Settlement Shops near Fish Creek, has a slice for you.

Before we get down to baking, a quick history lesson.

Olivia Lowery and her mother, Karen, started the business in 1995.

“I kind of gave her a hand with that,” Lowery said. “I was in high school at the time.”

Her mom thought of the name Sweetie Pies.

“It just came to her,” Lowery said. “She lived in southern Illinois when

she was married to my dad. They’re southerners down there, and they call everybody ‘Hunnnn.’ So it might have come out of that.”

After about 10 years, her mom sold the business but retained ownership of the building. The new owners kept the name and continued baking delicious pies. When Karen Lowery and her husband decided it was time to part with the building, they wanted Olivia Lowery and her partner Chris Reichel to buy it. The couple learned the business was for sale as well.

Lowery wasn’t sure it was the right move, but Reichel convinced her to give it a shot. So in 2017 she did, and they’ve made tens of thousands of

pies since they brought the shop back into Lowery’s family in 2017.

Now, in the cozy main production area, which served as the living room of the house before it was a business, there are no large industrial mixers or rollers. To make the 100-year-old crust recipe, Reichel combines four cold ingredients – flour, butter, shortening and water.

“The butter will add the flakiness and the shortening, the tenderness,” he said. On a dry winter day, a large ladle of water and maybe a splash more for each batch. On humid summer days, maybe only half a ladle.

“It will naturally start to come together and release itself from the bowl when you’ve got it right,” Reichel said.

Each batch of dough produces three or four balls about the size of a softball to be formed into crust. The dough sits for a few minutes before it is quickly rolled to just the right thickness.

Too much rolling is the enemy of a great crust.

When the dough has been cut into a circle, any extra pieces are used to make crust cookies sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

“We never use re-rolled dough in our crust,” Reichel said.

Sweetie Pies fruit pies are four or five inches tall. They can reach that height because they’re made upside-down.

One of the crust circles is placed in a deep stainless-steel bowl. The bowl is filled until it’s almost overflowing with apples, strawberries or cherries from Hyline Orchard and Farm Market just down the road.

“When they pack [the cherries], they’ll add some sugar and it kind of soaks in that juice,” Reichel said. “So they still stay tart, but they’re a little sweet.” Some customers request a sugar-free pie, and Sweetie Pies offers a gluten friendly option.

The average cherry pie has about eight cups of fruit. “No fillers, no jam, no goo,” Lowery said.

The only other ingredients that go inside a Sweetie Pies fruit pie is a special mix of sugar, flour, tapioca flour and butter. Reichel uses butter to bond the pie filling rather than gelatin or cornstarch.

Chris Reichel (right) and staff assemble pies in the kitchen.

Next, a pie tin with its own crust goes on top. Flip it over and voilà: a monster fruit pie.

When Lowery and Reichel’s production team gets together, three times each week during the summer, they assemble and freeze hundreds of pies to be baked later. Sweetie Pies offers full-size pies, smaller Cutie Pies and individual Precious Pies, as well as pies by the slice. Even during the winter months, the team meets once or twice a week to assemble and freeze pies in preparation for weekend customers. Winter or summer, these pies are a hot ticket.

According to Lowery, new customers react pretty much the same way when the aroma of slowly baking pies hits them right in the nose.

“Every person who walks in, they’re like, ‘Oh, my god, it smells so good in here!’” Lowery said.

Road Trip!

Pop quiz: Why is the second Saturday in November so tasty? (Hint: The answer is easy as pie.)

It’s the day Sweetie Pies owners Olivia Lowery and Chris Reichel load up a truck and travel to southeast Wisconsin and northern Illinois, delivering more than 1,000 preordered frozen pies.

The pre-Thanksgiving tradition started not long after Lowery and her mom, Karen, opened Sweetie Pies in 1995. According to Lowrey, some of her mom’s friends, who lived near Western Springs, Illinois, wanted pies for the holidays.

More than a quarter-century later, Sweetie Pies’ specialdelivery truck makes three stops in Wisconsin (Fox Point, Milwaukee and Kenosha), and three more in Illinois

(Bannockburn, Western Springs and Batavia) to deliver pies to the people.

“You have to be there at the right time,” Lowery said. “It’s like a 15- to 20-minute stop and we toss out all the pies.”

Lowery, Reichel and their crew leave Door County at about 5 am. If all goes according to plan, the pies have found new owners by 3 pm and the Sweetie Pies truck is heading home.

In 2020, the truck was bursting at the seams with close to 2,000 Sweetie Pies – double the usual number. “Everybody else was shut down,” Lowery said of the record-setting run during the pandemic. “We don’t ever need to do that again. It was crazy.”

Top Left Pies are baked in a small unit in the Settlement Shops just south of Fish Creek. Top right Reichel squeezes pies into the oven. Below Lowery displays a couple of fresh-baked pies.

The Big Art of Zane Statz

by JOHN MIELKE

Whether it’s the side of a building in Greensburg, Indiana, or a 70-foot-long fence across from Lambeau Field, former Sturgeon Bay resident Zane Statz likes a massive canvas.

The 2010 graduate of Sturgeon Bay High School was influenced by the county’s creative environment from an early age, and by his mother, an artist. A more pragmatic influence came from his dad, a mechanical engineer, but art came into sharper focus for Statz when he attended St. Norbert College in De Pere.

“I went down the poli-sci route and wasn’t happy with that,” he said. “I went down the biology route and was bored with that.”

James Neilson, assistant professor of art at St. Norbert, opened Statz’s eyes to the limitless possibilities of art.

Neilson was struck by Statz’s work at a St. Norbert student exhibition.

“There was one painting that defied easy explanation,” Neilson said. “I could not figure out the artist’s process in

Top A Statz mural along Lombardi Ave. in Green Bay. Center Zane Statz. Bottom Children take part in a community mural painting project led by Statz. Photos submitted.

creating this strikingly original image. This was both a mark of originality and bold experimentation, two characteristics essential to success in the visual arts. I was very keen on meeting this heretofore unknown artist in our midst.”

Neilson and Statz connected at the opening reception. With Neilson’s guidance and the help of an art scholarship in his final two years of school, Statz earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design with a business minor.

“Having those two mindsets [from mom the artist and dad the engineer] is probably why I ended up with art and business,” Statz said. “It’s kind of those two left and right brains melding together.”

The idea of painting murals began with a senior-year show.

“Everything I entered was at least 4 feet by 8 feet,” Statz said. “That’s when I first discovered that I’m not meant to work on small canvases. I was aware of mural art, street art; I was influenced by it but I never saw it as a profitable industry.”

That changed in 2014 when a homeowner across from Lambeau Field asked Statz to paint his fence in tribute to the team.

“He found my website and wondered if I was interested,” Statz said. “I jumped on the opportunity.”

The Lambeau fence has won Statz an American Advertising A––ward from the Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF Fox River).

In 2023, Statz created the Packers Community Mural, a community

Statz painted the mural outside Get Real Cafe in Sturgeon Bay. Photo by Rachel Lukas.

Everyone has a story to tell...and whatever your skill level, our classes can help you express yourself in a poem or memoir, or retell your story as fiction.

Or simply stroll our Writer’s Walk — 59 acres of trails that are the quiet spirit of Write On, Door County.

You’ll find a world of words online at

Our Events Calendar has details and more.

Washington Island Literary Festival

September 19-21 at locations around the island Three days of workshops, panels, readings, and more.

A Deep Delve Into Writing The Novel

November 4-7 with Patricia Skalka

Learn the tools and strategies needed to combine the fine art of storytelling and the craft of good writing. Writing On The Door Conference: Your Writing Life

November 8-9

No ma er your level, our celebrated faculty will cover a wide range of genres and help you develop your writing life.

paint-by-number project on another 70-foot fence featuring quarterback legends Bart Starr, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and the man the Packers hope joins them on legends row – Jordan Love. More than 150 contributors showed up with brushes in hand to work on the project, which was sponsored by BayCare Clinic.

“Green Bay is unique in that it is a community-owned team, so any way to involve the community more is just a win-win,” Statz said.

The inspiration for a paint-bynumber project came from Yonder, an Algoma art gallery that has organized similar projects, including one in Sturgeon Bay.

From breweries and rage rooms (places where people pay to relieve frustrations by smashing things) to fences and buildings, Statz’s murals can be found throughout the state. One of his largest works is outside Wisconsin in Greensburg, Indiana, a town of 12,000 that wanted more color in their community.

Statz was selected for the job after he answered an online call for artist proposals. He painted 27 sheets of Medium Density Overlay (MDO) plywood and drove the nine hours to Greensburg, then with the help of a construction company, installed the panels for his “Love Grows Here” mural on the side of a three-story building.

“I painted the mural in my garage,” Statz said. “The most I was able to do was put up four plywood sheets at once. It was a fun, unique, scary way to do it.”

Statz doesn’t have a specific style – his brain is always “bouncing around” a little, he said. A few years ago, Statz was diagnosed as bipolar II. “That’s the way my brain has always worked,” he said. That may make it easier to market his art.

“I can create something that [the client] has in mind,” he said. “I like a little direction from the client – a little bit of an arrow as to where to start.”

Today, Statz directs sales and marketing for a manufacturing company in Sturgeon Bay. The art

major and business minor seem to be working out just fine.

Statz knows that the decision to pursue a career in art is not always met with support from loved ones. His advice to budding artists is to keep going regardless.

“Anyone, if they have the right passion, if they have the right drive, can do it,” he said. “You have to consistently work at your craft. It’s not just going to come to you. You have to find it and go to it. The harder you work, the farther you’ll get.”

Not all of Statz’s projects are on big canvases. Photo by Larry Mohr.

PENINSULA CENTURY FALL

CHALLENGE

September 14th

Routes of 25, 50, 62 and 100 miles through the rustic backroads and past scenic water views of the Door Peninsula. Six great rest stops featuring local food specialties and beverages and a post-ride party on the Sister Bay shore.

The ride starts and ends at Sister Bay’s Waterfront Park, where your registration fee includes food from Thyme Cuisine, beer from One Barrel Brewing Co., and Cherry Crisp from Seaquist Orchard!

Photo by James Campbell.

Write Space

Write On’s Campus comes into its own

by CYNTHIA KRAACK

On a sunny April morning in 2013, little boys crawled under giant juniper bushes next to the property at 4210 Juddville Road. Meanwhile, the founders of Write On, Door County toasted the house and land gifted to their new organization and the big dreams they had.

A little more than a decade later, the humble property and surrounding land has become a creative campus for writers and readers of all levels.

Write On’s campus began with a home on the south side of

Juddville Road that would host a residency program for visiting writers to pursue their craft. Here some visiting writers spend days thinking through ideas or attacking blocks in a project, while others bring one folder and a laptop with the intention to finish a book. Resident writers have traveled to Fish Creek from 27 states and six nations. They leave with an appreciation for the county and its people.

Michael Perry, a Wisconsin writer, performer and radio host, arrived for his residency with theater space rented and insured, but no completed play script. After working in Norb

Blei’s Coop, which was moved to the property in the early days, Perry left with the first draft of his play based on his book, Population 485, complete.

“To have the privilege of centering yourself in a place of quiet, natural beauty, to feel the unseen presence of pure and massive bodies at your flanks, and to know you are being

The Writing Center at Write On, Door County gave the organization a home of its own in Juddville. Photos by Rachel Lukas.

granted access to the spirit and spaces of writers who cut a much deeper and wider path before you… well, that’s a writer’s dream,” Perry wrote.

For those who value the quiet of nature and the chance to write uninterrupted, a Write On residency is a treasure. Most residencies are unpaid, with the writer charged with developing a service program for the local community or schools in exchange for the residency.

“There is something magical about having the residency at Write On,” wrote Liza Wiemer, an educator and author who has been a resident, presenter and active Write On partner for more than a decade. “All the worries and responsibilities of the world are put on pause and I’m able to fully concentrate on my writing.”

Gary Peter, an almost-retired University of Minnesota faculty member and writer, showed up without a set plan, looking for time to read and reflect.

The Writing Center

“I have to say I did some of my best work sitting on the porch swing on nice days,” Peter said. “That is probably my favorite place of all at Write On.”

In the organization’s early years, the founders dreamed of a larger campus and writing center, so they brought in Kabalo Washatko Architects to create designs. In 2020, the

Founding and Artistic Director Jerod Santek at the groundbreaking for the Writing Center. Photo by Len Villano.

Paul Lisicky gives an author’s talk at the Writing Center. Photo by Rachel Lukas.

center at the heart of that plan opened to host classes, readings, writing intensives and book discussions. It’s a place for children to learn the craft of writing, seniors to put their life lessons on the page and people of all ages to find their stories.

Erik Hancock of Kubala Washatko Architects said the project was unique in every way.

“Here we had this very special opportunity with a client who helped us understand what writers want and need from their spaces,” Hancock said. “The beauty of this natural site is really a special landscape, and the building is very outward-facing to kind of embrace those qualities. We wanted the building to feel as though it very much was rooted in Door County in both its history and its culture and environment.”

but the invitation would be built into the bones of every aspect of the building,” he explained. “The design of a windowsill, the selection of a chair, the shape of the building.”

Trees are visible through every window in the Writing Center, according to Al DeGenova, Write On’s executive director since 2022.

“It all starts with the light, which is special because of the water of the bay and lake,” DeGenova said. “That light combines with natural elements. Often, visitors come in to find out what we’re about or to sit and read or write.”

Write On’s campus is a favorite place for many people to find quiet time.

“In the summer, I usually get here early,” said Jerod Santek, the organization’s founding and artistic director. “I find people sitting on the terrace, watching the sunrise with their coffee and a book or their journal.”

A little boy asked Santek once if he lived in the Writing Center. He doesn’t, but the building’s atrium and kitchen is designed to make visitors feel at home.

The overarching pattern the firm created was based on the idea of an invitation to write, Hancock said.

“It’s not to be a neutral setting for the act of writing,

The completion of the Writing Center gave the organization a centerpiece, but then it was time to connect the dots. In 2022, Write On was gifted the 20-acre Witalison Woods property on Peninsula Players Road adjacent to its 31-acre campus. That opened the door to an expanded 1.5-mile trail network connecting it to Edgewood Orchard Galleries to the north, and to the residence south of Juddville Road.

The trails are open to the public to hike, contemplate and write at any time. The grounds feature wildflowers, native plants and trees. West of the Center, the trail passes the newest addition to the campus, the Olson Family Memorial Council Ring. Where a decaying farmhouse once stood on the corner of Juddville Road and state Highway 42, an airy metal frame and fireplace

Top Students gather in the Olson Family Memorial Council Rink during Peter Coy’s annual Kids’ WOW writing class in July. Photo by Remy Carmichael.

Middle A student in the Kids Wow class works on a writing project along the hiking trail. Photo by Remy Carmichael.

Bottom The Door County Bookmobile made its first public appearance since being refurbished during a celebration at Write On in May of 2024. Photo by Kayla Larsen.

Globally inspired vintage and modern textiles repurposed into hand-crafted home goods. Featuring the artwork of Melissa Resch.

• Custom Orders

• Kantha Quilt Throws & Pillows

• Holiday Table Top Design

• Vintage Quilt Tote Bags

• Bedding Accents

designed by former Door County Poet Laureate Ralph Murre now invites visitors. Behind the fireplace, the chimney from the original home still stands.

The circle is a gift from Ted and Lady Olson to honor their mothers, Yvone Bevry Olson and Jane Anne Perkey, who inspired a lifelong love of reading and writing in their families.

The original vision of the founders – a campus for writers and readers to unearth their stories – is coming into its own, and writers have taken note.

“Wow. Just, wow,” wrote emerging non-fiction writer Helen Raica-Klotz.

“The Writing Center is stunning, and I utterly loved walking the trails. It is the perfect place for writing and reflection.”

For Nicole Homer, an award-winning poet, writer, editor and performer who spent three weeks in late winter working on a second book of poetry, it’s the entire package of the property that fueled her work.

“What became vital to my time were daily walks,” Homer said. “I would have breakfast and loosely plan my writing day. Then I would walk for a mile or two or more. Those walks allowed me time to clear my head.”

You don’t have to be a serious writer to take advantage of the Write On campus. It offers 1.5 miles of hiking trails, an outdoor council ring, and open hours for reading and writing. Book clubs and other groups may also reserve time to gather in the space. View class offerings and hours at writeondoorcounty.org.

People to the History Bringing

by JOHN MIELKE

To learn more about Baileys Harbor and its past, all you need to do is walk up and down the street.

Inspired by their passion for sharing history, Kristen Peil and Caleb Whitney have created and installed photo displays in front of 14 Baileys Harbor buildings. Their History Along the Way project gives visitors a snapshot of how this iconic lakeshore community has evolved.

History Along the Way is a labor of love. Peil is the historian, Whitney handles the construction, and the couple’s daughter, Ida, uses her art and computer skills to fine-tune the old photographs and format the displays before they’re printed.

Peil’s Door County roots date back to the mid-1800s, while Whitney moved from Baraboo in 1992 and bought a house in Baileys Harbor along state Highway 57 a couple of years later. Then there was the blind date in 1995.

Not all blind dates work out – but this one did. Peil and Whitney have been

running their landscaping business, Green Side Up, since 1999.

The couple also keeps things growing at the Baileys Harbor Schoolhouse Inn. Peil’s family has been connected to the schoolhouse since her greatgrandmother Hedwig Peil helped with the land purchase in 1917.

Many of the History Along the Way displays are in areas cared for by Green Side Up. Whitney said they try to incorporate the displays into the landscape features.

“Because we are already on the property, we’re already set up to do this,” Whitney said. “That’s how you can outsize or leverage who and what you are as a business.”

The inspiration for History Along the Way can be traced back to

Top Display in front of the Blacksmith Inn. Photo by Katie Hohmann.

Below Kristen Peil maintains the gardens around a panel at the Chives History Along the Way display. Photo by Larry Mohr.

“What you begin to realize is that you are just a placeholder. You don’t own the property; you just occupy it.”

– Caleb Whitney

the couple’s historic home, and Peil’s

“She was a history lover,” Peil said. Her mother took photographs and gathered historical images for Here’s a bicentennial book about Baileys Harbor available at

Working on the house Whitney purchased in 1994 – one of the oldest still standing in town – the couple has uncovered a number of historic gems, even newspaper articles tucked in the walls. They decided to share the discoveries and create the first display

“It’s a treasure hunt,” Whitney said. “We found a negative of Harry Zak Jr. playing the accordion, and that’s one of the images that we put out front.”

Zak Jr. was the son of the former owners Harry and Helen Zak. Along with his daughter, Zak Jr. returned

to their former home in 2021, two years before he died.

“There were tears in his eyes,” Whitney said. “There was this sense of continuity, this sense of ‘my space.’ He was just home from the Korean War in that photograph. It’s a photograph, but it tells a story.”

“And it’s just the sweetest picture of the life that was occurring in this house,” Peil added.

The couple chronicled every family that lived in the house.

“What you begin to realize is that you are just a placeholder,” Whitney said. “You don’t own the property; you just occupy it.”

After this original installation in 2014, History Along the Way began to sprout all around town. One of the first was at Chives restaurant in 2017. Chives

Below Caleb Whitney installs a panel on a History Along the Way display. Photo by Larry Mohr.

Top A father and son check out the panels in front of the Peninsula Pulse

Photo by Myles Dannhausen Jr.

which didn’t have a sidewalk space to put a display, but Nichols did.

History Along the Way was off and running.

At Immanuel Lutheran Church near the south end of Baileys Harbor, Roberta Burlo holds the unofficial title of church historian. She gathered images for a calendar celebrating Immanuel’s 125th anniversary in 2018. When Peil and Whitney began working on the church’s display, Burlo’s work was a big help.

“All we had to do was go in and copy what she had there or what they felt was most important to put out,” Peil said.

Immanuel Lutheran pastor Gary Scharrig said that for people stopping by the church, the display brings a new realization: “That this church has been a part of the community for a long time,” he said.

In the middle of town, Scott Bennett is the man in charge at the Harbor Fish Market and Grille, known years ago as the Frontier Bar.

“This building is so historic to the town, and it’s very important to myself and my family to keep the history alive,” Bennett said. Customers often stop and look at History Along the Way before coming inside. They can see how much the building has changed and how much it hasn’t.

“As someone who is somewhat newer to the community, I think it has brought a lot of people together, seeing how so many of these buildings and these stories have been intertwined throughout the years. The best part is, it’s a short walk to see all of them. You can go from one building to the next and really get the feel for what the town was like throughout the years.”

For a map of History Along the Way, visit historyalongtheway. com.

by CYNTHIA KRAACK

From bike trails and beaches to live music and theater, most Door County residents and visitors can easily enjoy all the peninsula has to offer. But for many people with disabilities, it’s not so simple.

According to the Pew Research Center, about 13% of Americans are disabled.

Almost a quarter of those over the age of 65 have a disability, and after age 75, that number doubles. The most common types of disability involve mobility, cognition or independent living difficulties.

But accessibility isn’t just an issue for the aging population or those with disabilities.

“At some point in our lives, we are all going to experience a time when getting around will be difficult,”

Peninsula State Park superintendent Eric Hyde said. That could mean a short-term injury like a broken leg or conditions like chronic pain or vision issues.

Eagle Tower, Door County’s most famous barrier-busting attraction, has transformed approaches to

Above Trackchairs have made trails accessible in Peninsula and Newport State Parks as well as The Ridges Sanctuary. Photo by Rachel Lukas.

infrastructure in parks across the state, Hyde said. The rebuilt tower opened in 2021 with a new, 850-foot ramp that loops through the trees and up to the lookout perch that stands 253 feet above the waters of Green Bay. The gentle incline includes benches and cutouts in the railing to allow wheelchair users a better look at the environment they’re traveling through.

“Some people couldn’t climb the old tower for many reasons – fear of heights, need for a mobility device, being older,” Hyde said. “There was one woman coming to the park for 25 years who would have to wait at the bottom as her family climbed the tower. Now she can join them.”

Wheelchairs are available at the base of the tower. Hyde said the Eagle Tower project accelerated a movement to improve accessibility in everything the park does.

At Peninsula State Park, knocking down barriers means including beach wheelchairs and Mobi-Paths – rollout pathways – in beach projects, as well as reconstructing the Nicolet Beach playground to be open to all ages and abilities.

At Newport State Park, the Fern Trail has been recreated as a longer accessible hiking path. Potawatomi and Peninsula State Parks both have accessible piers or docks to accommodate the needs of anglers and boaters.

Top A mobi pad at Otumba allows those in a wheelchair or who less sure-of-foot to get down to the shore to dip their feet in the water. The mats are available at several county beaches. Photo by Rachel Lukas.

Middle The ramp to Eagle Tower has made one of the county’s top attractions available to far more people since it reopened in 2020. Photo by Rachel Lukas.

Bottom When Kendall Park playground opened in 2024, it quickly became a town centerpiece in Baileys Harbor. Photo by Larry Mohr.

“At some point in our lives, we are all going to experience a time when getting around will be difficult.”

All-terrain wheelchairs, called Trackchairs, offer greater mobility for disabled people who want to explore nature. Peninsula and Newport State Park share two trackchairs, which can be reserved through the Friends of Peninsula Park. The Ridges Sanctuary has one as well.

Peninsula State Park got its trackchair in 2023 thanks to a donation from Kinect M1. Adam Peronto, the executive project director of the organization, discussed how a group of kids from Kewanee were brought to Peninsula State Park to spend a day in nature. Their day of activities was capped off with a hike in the woods, but a child using a wheelchair was unable to participate. The child was disappointed, but had experienced being left behind before.

“It broke my heart,” Peronto said.

Katie Krouse, executive director of the Ridges Sanctuary, said the trackchair makes new experiences possible.

“A mom with ALS and her daughter who enjoyed hiking were able to do that once again with a trackchair,” she said. “They had not been able to have time in the woods together for many years. The trackchair is well-used here.”

The Ridges has widened its boardwalks in recent years for wheelchair users, opening access to the lighthouse and overlook areas.

– Eric Hyde, Peninsula State Park Superintendent

varying abilities. According to her, there are more opportunities to play around the county each year.

Such changes expand opportunities for families, too.

“We have many young families with strollers who would find it impossible to take other hiking paths,” Krouse said. “Our priority is that everyone has the same access to nature.

“There is still more to do. For example, we are partnering with others to make the boardwalks safer for visuallyimpaired visitors. Currently, the boardwalk edges are the same color as the dirt below, which is not optimal.”

The effort to improve accessibility has reached beyond the state parks. For example, Carmody County Park in Gardner has a handicap kayak launch. Baileys Harbor and Sturgeon Bay have added accessible playgrounds, and municipalities like Egg Harbor and Sturgeon Bay have improved access to beaches as well.

Cheryl Zettel of Valmy has built a barrier-free home in Sevastopol to welcome family and guests with

“My grandchildren love Otumba Playground in Sturgeon Bay because everyone can play and the equipment is unique,” Zettel said. “The same is true about Nicolet Beach playground.”

Improving accessibility is good for everyone, said Julie Gilbert, president and CEO of Destination Door County.

“If we look at accessibility from a national perspective, we have an aging population,” Gilbert said. “We’re all getting older. Looking at that from an economic perspective, we’re providing accommodations and experiences that these people can continue to have throughout their lives. If we can provide that service, it’s more than economic sustainability – it’s restorative.”

Enjoying Door County isn’t all about spending time outside. Peninsula Players Theatre executive director Brian Kelsey said the company aims to welcome patrons of all physical abilities. It starts with a patrons’ first encounter with a parking attendant

The accessible playground (left) at Otumba Park in Sturgeon Bay was an instant hit with families and the redesign of the beach has made it accessible for those using wheelchairs. Photo by Rachel Lukas.

The new boardwalk at The Ridges Sanctuary has not only expanded access to the preserve and lighthouses, but has spurred a massive increase in the number of visitors and donors to the organization since it opened in 2015. Photo by Larry Mohr.

on show night. Visitors are asked if anyone in their party needs any kind of assistance accessing the theater.

“We’ve replaced some of our paths with crushed quarry-wash walkways,” Kelsey said. “We offer technology for individuals with hearing impairment, email scripts in advance for visuallyimpaired guests, and have more than one location in the theater for wheelchair seating.”

Kelsey chairs the Wisconsin Arts Board and serves on its Diversity, Equality, Accessibility and Inclusion committee.

“There’s a need to find balance – hold on to traditions, but make changes to be accessible,” Kelsey said. “How can we do better, yet not change so much that the experience is altered? This is a journey and we’re on it together.”

Third Avenue Playworks executive director Jacob Janssen said the comfort of all guests drove design decisions when the theater was remodeled. The lobby and restrooms were redesigned to be more welcoming, and handicapped seating was moved into prime locations in the theater rather than stuck in the back near the exits.

“Everybody has a better time when they are comfortable,” Janssen said.

Running Through Fall

5k With Character

Kick off a beautiful autumn day in Baileys Harbor by gathering at Door County Brewing Co. for the Hey Hey 5k on Sept. 21. The race named for a favorite phrase of Freddie Kodanko – the late, great Door County Polka King – takes you for a lap around the town’s back roads before finishing at the taproom. Runners get a great race shirt, a post-race beer or root beer float, and a polka serenade to the finish line! Sign up at heyhey5k.com.

Hitting the Trail

Race organizer Brian Fitzgerald has long thought Peninsula State Park would be perfect for an organized trail run. This year the director of the Door County Half Marathon will finally bring it to fruition. The Pen Park Trails Fest will offer a 30k and 14k course based out of Welcker’s Point on Nov. 2. The course takes advantage of the gravel Sunset Path before turning inland onto the park’s single-track trails along the Niagara Escarpment. Runners will finish at Welcker’s Point where they can celebrate around the campfires in their long-sleeve race shirts, and enjoy post-race beers and beverages.

Register early for this race that’s capped at just 250 participants at penparktrailsfest. com.

A Different Thanksgiving Bird

On Thanksgiving weekend, run off that turkey with a bird of a different feather at the One Barrel 2.62 run in Egg Harbor. Join the One Barrel Penguin for the run on White Cliff Road on Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. Cross the finish in your new race hat before you head to the One Barrel taproom for your free postrace beer (or hot chocolate) as Egg Harbor celebrates Holly Days throughout the village! Start your new holiday tradition at onebarrelrun.com.

Run Door County!

Sept. 21

Door County Brewing Co. Hey Hey 5k, Baileys Harbor 5k fun run in Baileys Harbor that starts and ends at the Door County Brewing Co. taproom. Get great swag including a pint glass, free beer, and awesome shirt! heyhey5k.com

Oct. 12

Potawatomi State Park Run Wild, Sturgeon Bay Quarter marathon, 5k run/walk, and 1/3-mile Smokey Bear Run www.runwild.org/run-wild

Oct. 26

Fall 50, Gills Rock to Sturgeon Bay 50-mile solo and relay run from the tip of the peninsula at Gills Rock to the base at Sawyer Park in Sturgeon Bay. Includes prizes for best team name and costume, and a huge postrace party with pizza and beer. fall50.com

Nov. 2

Pen Park Trails Fest, Fish Creek 14k and 30k course in Peninsula State Park.

Nov. 30

One Barrel 2.62 Run, Egg Harbor

A 2.62-mile run through Egg Harbor’s back roads. All runners get a One Barrel Run knit hat and a beer at the finish line! onebarrelrun.com

Dec. 7

Northern Door YMCA Ugly Sweater Run, Fish Creek A 5k fun run/ walk.

Late April

Barney Fun Run, Sister Bay Runs of 1.84 miles and 3.89 through Sister Bay to raise funds for local causes. barneyfunrun.com

May 3

Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5k

Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek 13.1 mile run, 5k

Hailed as one of the best runs in the Midwest, runners enjoy a closed USATF-certified road course that takes you along the shore, through the woods, and atop the bluffs of Peninsula State Park. Finish with music, beer and friends at Nicolet Bay. doorcountyhalfmarathon.com.

May 10

Blossom Run, Egg Harbor 2-mile and 5-mile courses, plus a 1-mile option for kids 12 and under. doorcountyymca.org/events/blossom-run-2

Memorial Day Weekend

Maifest Lake to Lake Race, Jacksonport 10k run and 2 mile fun run runsignup.com/Race/WI/Jacksonport/JacksonportMaifest

June 14

Crossroads Trail Run, Sturgeon Bay 10k, 5k, and 2k trail run through the woods, meadows, and orchards in and around Crossroads at Big Creek. crossroadsrun.com

July 4

Hairpin Run, Fish Creek 5k run/walk to kick off the 4th of July celebration. Door County’s largest 5k run. hairpinrun.com

July 12

Belgian Days Run, Brussels 2-mile, 4-mile run/walk. letsdothis.com/us/e/belgian-days-runwalk-212207

July 19

Washington Island Rec Run, Washington Island 10k, 5k, and 2k walk/ run moslingreccenter.org/events

Aug. 9

Shanty Days 5k, kids run, Algoma 5k run/walk, kids superhero fun run visitalgomawi.com/5k-run-walk

Wreck of the Sea Bird

by KEVIN O’DONNELL

The series of sweeping bluffs running parallel to the lakefront from the DoorKewaunee County line north for 6-miles are commonly referred to as the Clay Banks. They are the remnants of an ancient beach created by retreating glacial ice more than 11,000 years ago and rise as high 100 feet above the waters of Lake Michigan.

Mariners have long known this landmark to be a navigational guide – and give the tell-tale aqua marine waters wide berth. Its depth, on average, is less than 1 fathom (6 feet). Its mantle extends more than 1,500 feet out from the shoreline. Underwater limestone outcrops fringed with shifting sand bars give the shallows its alluring color and generate swift surface currents, quickly drawing those who venture too closely into a labyrinth of uncharted reefs and an uncertain fate.

When Europeans settled the peninsula in the mid-1830s the banks were dense with upland hardwoods and some of the largest pine trees in the state. During the second half of the 19th century demand for lumber products steadily grew and Wisconsin became America’s logging king. Door County had no rail system yet and only rudimentary roads – but plenty of ports and more than 60 piers. Along the Clay Banks local creeks were widened and dammed. Logs harvested inland were then floated to lakefront camps where they were milled into lumber and other forest products.

Clay Banks saw the construction of five long piers, beginning in 1869. Each extended 1,200 to 1,600 feet into the lake, lunging out beyond the shoals, terminating in the deeper, bluer waters. Clay Banks was the only area of timber in southern Door County spared from the Great Fire of 1871 (also known as the Peshtigo Fire), ushering in an era – albeit brief – of economic prosperity.

The township’s lumber camps were rough and meager outposts giving rise to the rowdy shoreline communities of Foscoro, Clay Banks, Tuft’s North, and Horn’s Pier, centering around the crowded piers and mills. This activity increased marine traffic, mishaps and shipwrecks. When the banks were completely deforested, the boom faded. The mills and communities were abandoned; wharves deteriorated and were left to rot, and

eventually storms and ice shoves reclaimed the remains of men’s fortunes, derelict vessels, and collapsing jetties.

A study published in 2020 by the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeological Society confirmed that at least 20 vessels from that era rest in the waters off of Clay Banks. Periodically, strong northeast gales stir up the sands and toss ashore the piers’ planks and pilings, or deposit hull fragments, rusty bits of nautical hardware, and other debris from the ill-fated ships of these ghost ports – only to be dragged back in and entomb in sand once again a few days later.

So was the case memorialized in this photograph. According to Doug Weimer, local historian and author, this is likely a section of hull from the double-masted schooner Sea Bird, the only vessel known to sink while anchored at what was then a thriving settlement of 500 people – Horn’s Pier.

The event occurred one stormy October day in 1875 when the Sea Bird, bound from Chicago to Buffalo with 18,000 bushels of wheat, sprang a leak below her waterline while passing the Clay Banks. The captain made fast to the safety of William Horn’s Pier; but the storm’s relentless high seas dragged anchor and forced the vessel ashore. The crew escaped unharmed as the water-infiltrated grain that lay below deck swelled to the point that the hull of the Sea Bird literally burst at the seams under the pressure. She was declared a total loss. Within days, the valuable wet wheat still onboard was pilfered. The scows Whiskey Pete and Lady Ellen sailed up from Ahnapee (the former name of Algoma), filching cargoes from the foundered schooner. Soon after, local citizenry joined the fray, making off with the bulk of the wheat for their livestock. An entry in the Door County Advocate newspaper on December 2, 1875, boasted: “The pork crop thereabouts had been increased at least a thousand pounds due to purloined grain used as hog feed.”

Excerpted from Kevin O’Donnell’s new book, Behind the Door, Portraits of a Peninsula, available now at kevinodonnell. photography.

* Wreck of the Sea Bird— (Black & White, main photo)

A portion of the hull from the schooner Sea Bird which washed ashore during a storm in 2020.

The Sea Bird floundered and sank in 1875 en route from Chicago to Buffalo, New York, while attempting to dock at Horn’s Pier, current-day Clay Banks beach. Photo by Kevin O’Donnell.

Photo by Jim Perry

Little Eddie, Big Cause

Golf tourney celebrates a friend and fights mental illness

by CRAIG STERRETT

Agolf outing originally created to celebrate the life of a friend has grown into a key cog in a countywide fundraising and wellness effort.

The Little Eddie Big Cup, founded in 2014 in memory of beloved father, husband and bartender extraordinaire Eddie Strege, now contributes to a larger campaign to bring more mental health providers and resources to the peninsula.

Strege, who stood just 5’6”, was a Gibraltar High School graduate who

would become one of the area’s most popular bartenders at Husby’s and the Sister Bay Bowl before moving to Milwaukee with his wife Megan. There he earned fans at the Old German Beer Hall, and welcomed his son, Oliver. But on St. Patrick’s Day of 2014, he died by suicide, shocking everyone who knew gregarious 32-year-old that most knew as the “life of the party.”

In the aftermath of his loss, Strege’s closest friends came together to raise money for his family.

The fairways of Peninsula State Park take on a bit of a different look during the Little Eddie Big Cup. Photo by Len Villano.

The 10th Little Eddie Big Cup will take place Oct. 6 at Peninsula State Park Golf Course, where Eddie worked in high school and played high school golf. Golfer registration opens at 8 am on Sept. 3. If you don’t golf or can’t get into the field, you can contribute at littleeddiebigcup.org.

Kendall Johnson (swinging) and Matt Villalpando sport an old-time look at the 2018 Little Eddie Big Cup. Photo by Len Villano.

Top Vinny Livieri shows off his swashbuckling style. Submitted. Middle (From left) Rachel Willems, Kaija Johnson and Ivan Bridenhagen volunteer at the Little Eddie Big Cup. Submitted. Bottom (From left) Tina Torcivia, Stephanie Oakdale, Martha Hutchinson and Jordan Burress rock out in ‘90s attire for the Little Eddie Big Cup. Submitted.

More than a walk in the woods

Experience one of the Midwest’s most biologically diverse ecosystems, where kids hike for free, and trails are open from dawn til dusk.

8166 State Hwy 57 | Baileys Harbor

RidgesS

What's My Pride? Proj Community Events

“The tournament evolved from five friends wanting to raise money for a friend’s family. This is bigger than we envisioned when we started it,” said Ivan Bridenhagen, Little Eddie Big Cup organization board member, golf outing co-founder and one of dozens of people who considered Strege one of their best friends.

After that first year, the event evolved beyond an effort to support Strege’s widow and son with the creation of the Mental Health Support Fund at the Door County Community Foundation to support mental health education and provide mental health care resources in Door County. The event was raising $10,000-15,000 a year and increasing awareness of the gap in mental health resources in the county when it caught the attention of Werner Krause. The local resident is passionate about improving resources for those with mental illness and wanted to expand the event’s impact.

He provided $22,000 to the Little Eddie fundraiser total in 2022. In 2023 the golf tournament was rained out, but the post-tournament raffle and party at Alexander’s restaurant went on. Krause had committed a prize of $5,000 for a hole-inone, and though no golf was played, he donated the $10,000 in prizes to the cause anyway.

Sandy Brown Award

LGBTQIA+ Resources

IDEA Scholarship Donations

In accordance with the Little Eddie organization’s mission, all funds raised stay in Door County, where the ratio g in Door County with Inclusion for All Pride Flag Initiative

Learn more about our organization and events here!

info@opendoorpride.org opendoorpride org

Krause’s passion about providing better mental health services locally stems from personal experiences with a “paranoid schizophrenic” father who abused his mother, a sisterin-law who died by suicide, and two other family members who have worked through mental health crises.

of population to mental health providers is 740:1. Statewide the ratio is 420:1, which ranks 34th in the nation.

“We’re making a difference, and people are seeing our work,” Bridenhagen said.

But Little Eddie board member and event co-founder Rachel Willems said that at its core, the event remains one of celebrating a bond among friends. The 2023 field for the event filled up in 38 minutes, and most of those 150 golfers were friends of Eddie’s who have added the date to the holidays marked off on their calendar. On the Sunday prior to

Columbus Day weekend, they show up to reunite and remember Eddie. Some were Gibraltar classmates, others come up from Milwaukee or fly in from Vail, Colorado, where he made as big of an impression as he did with roommates, classmates and customers at Husby’s where he tended bar for years.

“Ed was literally a larger-than-life guy. He made everybody feel included and special,” Bridenhagen said. “He could connect people, and there were a lot of us that are friends because of Ed. We might not have had another connector or galvanizer, and Ed was that for so many.”

Bridenhagen said Eddie had a rare ability to make people comfortable, get them laughing and was simply the light in every room he entered. He loved a great costume, and most participants in the Little Eddie revel in the costume contest as much as the golf competition.

“Every Little Eddie feels like a celebration of his life, because it’s totally a party he would have wanted to be invited to,” Willems said. “It’s full of people who probably golf only one time a year, so it’s not a bunch of professional golfers. It’s a lot of people who loved Ed and they’re just there to have fun.”

A Tasty Memory

Panang Squash Curry

by JESS FARLEY-NIELSEN

photos by KATIE HOHMANN

When one of your favorite restaurants closes its doors, your only hope to recapture its flavors is to recreate them at home. One of my favorites was the squash curry from Mr. Helsinki, the Fish Creek restaurant that closed a few years ago after a 20-year run.

For those of you who missed the Mr. Helsinki experience, below is the recipe for my recreation of my favorite panang squash curry. I hope it transports you to a blissful, tasty and happy place!

Before we get to the recipe, let’s talk winter squash, one of the most versatile vegetables in existence.

It stores easily, and compared to other vegetables it has a long

shelf life. All you need to do is keep it in a dark, dry, cool space.

Squash does not take up precious space in your refrigerator and also freezes easily. Simply peel, cut into 1-inch chunks, and spread the chunks in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet pan. Place it in the freezer for an hour. Once the chunks are slightly frozen transfer to a gallon sized freezer bag, squeeze out the excess air, seal and place in the freezer for future use.

Squash also makes awesome baby food. Simply peel, cut it into squares, boil or steam, mash and freeze in an ice cube tray. Transfer the frozen cubes to a gallon freezer bag and remove them one at a time to defrost. They will be ready to go when it is time to feed the baby.

Squash also offers many preparation options. You can roast, boil, mash and pan fry it.

The flavor is mild and moldable, you can incorporate it into lasagna, soup, pasta, salads or simply just roast it in the oven. It can easily work with a plethora of spice and flavor combinations.

There are many varieties of winter squash, all a bit different in texture and taste. For this particular recipe I recommend the easy-to-find butternut variety. The flesh is silky, not stringy and the flavor is mild and adaptable. This is a fairly simple dish to pull together, it packs a punch in the flavor department and is easy enough to be pulled together on a school or work night.

In my experience, the senses of smell and taste trigger my favorite memories. I recommend you share this meal with some of your favorite people so next time you get a whiff or take a bite you get transported back to a place filled with joy!

PANANG SQUASH CURRY

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

1-2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch slices, seeds removed

1 small broccoli head, chopped into small florets

1 poblano or sweet red pepper, sliced with seeds removed

1 medium carrot, sliced into crescents

2-3 bunch onions or scallions, julienned

2 - 13.66 oz cans unsweetened coconut milk

2-3 Tbsp Panang Curry paste. Add more if you prefer more spice.

1 Tbsp of ginger root, diced or grated

Fresh basil and cilantro, chopped

Salt to taste

Prep your veggies ahead of time so it’s chopped and ready to go. Then start the rice before you start the curry, allowing approximately a half hour of cook time.

Heat a large sauté pan on medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the squash, sprinkle with salt and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Stir often. When the squash starts to become tender, add the broccoli, pepper, carrot and onions. Continue cooking until the broccoli is bright green and the onions are wilted and begin to sweat.

Add both cans of coconut milk and the curry paste, stir until they are well combined, the coconut milk will take on an orange tint. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes. The goal is to reduce the coconut milk to a thicker consistency so it coats the veggies. Add in the fresh ginger, and turn off the heat.

Serve in a shallow bowl over 2 scoops of rice for each serving. Sprinkle fresh cilantro and basil on top. Drizzle Sriracha for more heat if you prefer, and enjoy!

JASMINE RICE

In a medium saucepan add 4 cups water and 2 cups rice. Bring to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes. Do not uncover the rice during the cooking time. Set a timer and trust the process!

Moon

Photo: Rick Langer

7 South 2nd Ave., Sturgeon Bay 920-493-3635 info@margaretlockwoodgallery MargaretLockwoodGallery.com

Fall Flavors

by ANDERS ERICKSON and photos by AZUSA INABA

As temperatures drop and summer turns to fall, I look forward to seasonal flavors like orchard fruits and baking spices. I tend to reach for dark liquors like whiskey, brandy and aged rum because the warmer notes of these spirits perfectly complement the cooler temperatures outside, making the change of seasons all the more enjoyable.

Here are three fall-inspired drinks that taste great this time of year. Get more recipes by watching cocktail videos by with Anders Erickson at YouTube.com/c/anderserickson.

LION’S TAIL JACK ROSE HARVEST MOON PUNCH

This has been one of my go-to fall cocktails for years. Allspice adds a hint of warm baking spice that works well with the bourbon, while the fresh lime keeps things bright. A rich demerara syrup balances everything out and offers texture to the drink.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 oz bourbon

1/2 oz allspice liqueur**

3/4 oz fresh lime juice

1/4 oz rich demerara syrup*** (2:1 demerara sugar:water)

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Lime twist for garnish

** Allspice liqueur is sometimes called Allspice Dram. There are a few good brands available commercially (my go-to is St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram), or you can make it yourself.

*** Over low heat, stir to combine two parts demerara sugar with one part water. Let cool once dissolved.

This classic, a simple build of three ingredients, dates back to the early 1900s. Applejack (American apple brandy) is the traditional base, but calvados (French apple brandy) can easily be substituted. In a pinch, I’ve also used cognac with good results, although you lose the apple flavor.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 oz Applejack or Apple Brandy

3/4 oz grenadine*

3/4 oz fresh lemon juice

*The quality of your grenadine will affect the outcome of this drink! Skip the bright-red stuff and use real pomegranate grenadine. Better yet, make your own.

HOMEMADE POMEGRANATE GRENADINE

450g granulated sugar

300g of 100% pomegranate juice

20g pomegranate molasses

~5ml (~2g) rose water

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, pomegranate juice and pomegranate molasses. Stir over low heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add rose water. Stir to combine.

The Harvest Moon Punch is one of my original drinks. It can be batched ahead of time and will serve eight to 12 guests, but can be scaled up or down to accommodate your crew.

It’s good to note that Jamaican rums can range in flavor intensity. An approachable expression like Appleton Estate will work well. This recipe is also great served warm for those cold autumn nights.

INGREDIENTS

Harvest Moon Punch (serves 8-12)

3 cups (24 oz) aged Jamaican rum

2.25 cups (18 oz) apple brandy

1.5 cups (12 oz) pear liqueur

.75 cup (6 oz) allspice liqueur**

1.5 cups (12 oz) rich demerara syrup*** (2:1 demerara sugar:water)

2.25 cups (18 oz) fresh lemon juice

6 cups (48 oz) black tea (chilled)

Sliced apples and grated nutmeg for garnish

Add all ingredients to a punch bowl or pitcher and stir. Add a large block of ice to keep cold and serve into individual cups (ice cubes optional). Top each serving with grated nutmeg.

Photo:

The Sweet Sparrow

When you’re craving a change in the flavor profile of your morning caffeine fix, try the Sweet Sparrow at Roost + Banter.

Barista and manager Kalie Evans makes her own black sesame and white miso caramel sauce inhouse, then adds it to a standard latte to create a drink that’s sweet, but also salty and nutty. But

the sauce can be added to a variety of drinks as well.

“It’s well-balanced and pairs well with both espresso drinks and matcha lattes,” Evans says.

Roost + Banter is located at 8093 Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor. The coffee shop and kitchen is open daily at 7 am for breakfast and lunch all year long.

BAILEYS HARBOR

AC Tap 9322 Hwy 57 (920) 839-2426

$ L D J T

Baileys 57 7998 Hwy 57 (920) 839-2114

Baileys57.com

$ B L T

Chives Restaurant 8041 Hwy 57 (920) 839-2000 chivesdoorcounty.com

$$$ L D T (

Cornerstone Pub & Restaurant

8123 Hwy 57 (920) 839-9001 baileysharborcorner stonepub.com

$$ B L D J T { Coyote Roadhouse 3026 Cty E (920) 839-9192

$$ L D J T {

Located on the shore of Kangaroo Lake offering a full-service bar, appetizers, lunch and

dessert selections in a casual and comfortable setting. Children’s menu available. Family friendly.

DCBC Eats

8099 Hwy 57 (920) 239-8181

$$ L D

Gatsby’s Grille 7680 HWY 57 (920) 510-3805

L D $$ J ( Harbor Fish

Market & Grille 8080 Hwy 57 (920) 839-9999

harborfishmarket grille.com

$$$ L D J { ( T

A full-service restaurant in the heart of Baileys Harbor. Distinctive waterfront dining with a casual upscale vibe. Seasonal, pet-friendly garden seating. Inland Door County 8085 Hwy 57 (920) 717-6116

B L Early Dinner $$$ JT

PC Junction Corner of A and E (920) 839-2048

$ L D J { Roost + Banter 8093 Hwy 57 (920) 839-0060

$$ B L {T

Located on the corner of 57 and Howard, Roost + Banter offers a full coffee and Rishi tea menu with breakfast sandwiches and bagels. Our lunch has sandwiches, salads, and soups with vegan and gluten free options available. Indoor and outdoor seating with a great view, Open daily year round.

Sway Brewery & Bakery 2434 Cty F swaybeer.com

$ B { T

The Blue Ox 8051 Hwy 57 (920) 839-2271

$ L D {

The Thirsty Cow Taphouse 7899 Cty A (920) 839-9991 facebook.com/ thetipsycowtaphouse

$ L D T

Top Deck

Restaurant & Bar 1420 Pine Dr. (920) 839-2331 gordonlodge.com

$$$ B D J { ( Vino! Vino! at Stone’s Throw Winery 3382 Cty E (920) 839-9760

$$ L D T Vino! Vino! is a contemporary Tuscan wine bar and tapas experience. Join us for great wine and fresh food in an atmosphere of friendly, casual elegance.

BRUSSELS/LITTLE STURGEON

Chaudoir’s Dock 10863 Cty N (920) 493-7075

chaudoirs.com

$$ L D { Gilmo’s Bar & Bistro Wavepoint Marina Resort, 3600 Cty CC (920) 824-5440

wavepointe.com

$$ L D J T { ( Idlewild Pub & Grill 4146 Golf Valley Dr. (920) 743-5630

$$ L D { Joe Rouer’s Bar E1098 Cty X (920) 866-2585 facebook.com/ Rouer1952

$ L D T { Little Brown Jug Saloon 8952 Cty C (920) 824-5005

littlebrownjugbar.com

$$ L D

Rouer’s Grand Slam

9710 School Road (920) 493-6556

$$ L D

Rouer’s Roadhouse

8649 Cty C (920) 824-5100

facebook.com/

RouersRoadhouse

$ L D

Sawyer Harbor

Pub & Grill

36963 Cty Rd. M (920) 493-6558

$$ L D T

Sunset Grill

3810 Rileys Point Road (920) 824-5130

$$ D J T {

The Belgian Delight 1100 Cty C (920) 825-1111

belgiandelight brussels.com

$$ B L D ( CARLSVILLE

Carlsville Roadhouse 5790 Hwy 42 (920) 743-4966

$ L D T

Door County

Coffee Co. 5773 Hwy 42 (920) 743-8930 doorcountycoffee.com

$ B L J T {

Rusty Tractor 6216 Hwy 42 (920) 743-8704 rustytractordoco.com

$ B

EGG HARBOR

Big Easy Bagel & Beignet 7755 Hwy 42 (920) 868-9600

bigeasydoor county.com

$ B L T {

Burton’s on the Bay 7715 Alpine Road (920) 868-3000

Alpineresort.com

$$$ B L D

Burton’s on the Bay is an upscale waterfront restaurant within the newly restored Alpine Resort that offers delicious daily cuisine – breakfast, lunch and dinner with panoramic views of the bay. Both indoor and outdoor dining options are available. Open May-October. Hours of operation change with the season. Visit alpineresort.com or call for restaurant hours. Burton’s on the Green 7670 Horseshoe Bay Road (920) 868-3000

$$ B L D

Burton’s on the Green is Alpine Resort’s golf course clubhouse restaurant offering delicious cuisine crafted by the culinary team of Burton’s on the Bay. Burton’s on the Green is open November-May, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hours of operation change with the season. Visit alpineresort.com or call for restaurant hours.

Carrington 7643 Hillside Road (920) 868-5162 carringtondoor county.com

$$$ D J T { ( Open year-round, we are an upscale casual restaurant located at the Landmark Resort. Featuring a wide range of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, steaks, fish, American classics, desserts and a full bar. Every seat offers a view of the bay. With a Comedy Club on the second Thursday of the month. View website for our current

hours and Comedy Club shows. Serving brunch and dinner.

Casey’s BBQ & Smokehouse 7855 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3038 caseysbbqand smokehouse.com

$$ L D J T

Matthew Peterson established Casey’s BBQ & Smokehouse in 2008. Matthew, a Door County native, wanted to put a Door County twist on Southern-style BBQ by using cherry wood to give our meats a rosy cast with a delicious, mild smoked flavor. Also offering a fabulous fish fry, locally famous burgers and many other tasty treats.

Cupola Cafe 7838 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2233

$$ B L T

Fireside Restaurant 7755 Hwy 42 (920) 868-4800 thefiresiderestaurant. com

$$$ D J T

Greens N Grains Deli 7821 Hwy 42 (920) 868-9999 greens-N-grains.com

$ B L J { The Greens N Grains Deli features a selection of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and raw-food cuisine. The deli also features a juice bar with freshly pressed veggie juices, fruit smoothies, a healthful bakery, tea bar and organic coffees.

Log Den 6626 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3888 thelogden.com

$$ L D J T { ( MacReady Artisan Bread Company 7828 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2233 MacReadyBread Company.com

$ L D J T { Mezzanine 7821 Horseshoe Bay Road (920) 786-7698 mezzaninerooftop.com

$$$ B L D Pizza Bros 4633 Market St. $$ L D Fast and casual wood-

fired pizza. Traditional and experimental flavors, made from scratch and hand pressed. Located inside One Barrel Brewing Company. Shipwrecked Brew Pub 7791 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2767 shipwreckedmicro brew.com

$$$ L D J T { Stone Hedge Golf and Pub 4320 Cty E stonehedgegolf andpub.com

$ L D The Orchards at Egg Harbor 8125 Heritage Lake Road (920) 868-2483 orchardsategg harbor.com

$ L J { Village Cafe 7918 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3247

$$ B L J { Villaggio’s Steak House 4655 Cty Rd. E (920) 890-2190 mojorestaurantgroup. com

$$$ D J (

ELLISON BAY

Blue Bear 12029 Hwy 42 (920) 854-3284

$$ B L D

Featuring a locally sourced menu created from scratch in our kitchen. Offering an extensive selection of both gluten-free and vegan options. Full bar with craft cocktails, local beers, sustainably sourced wine and specialty coffee drinks.

Brew Coffee 12002 Hwy 42 (920) 421-2739

$ B L T { Della Porta 12029 Hwy 42 (920) 633-4014

dellaportadc.com

$$ D

www.boathousedcw.com

Authentic southern Italian cuisine. With 20 years of experience cooking in the finest restaurants, our chef is excited to present their vision to you and all our guests. We refuse to compromise on quality in our restaurant. That’s why we source our fresh ingredients from local farmers markets. No matter what time of year, you can be sure you’re eating the best of the season.

Hügel Haus 11934 Hwy 42 (920) 633-4080

$$ D J T ( A German-inspired, Wisconsin-influenced restaurant located on the hill in Ellison Bay serving Deutschland classics and inspired Wisconsin favorites, including Door County’s best cheese curds! Nightly specials and daily happy hour with German bier, wine and specialty cocktails. Open year-round and self-proclaimed as “Door County’s Wurst Bar.” View our menu and hours at hugelhausdoorcounty.com.

Kick Ash Coffee 12001 Mink River Road (920) 421-1041 kickashproducts.com

$ B L T { La Piazza 12029 Hwy 42 920-264-0895

An outdoor Italian wine bar. Stop for a drink, stay for the food! A selection of Italian small plates including great gluten-free & vegan options – until 10 pm. Plus woodfired Pizza Napoletana and desserts. Over 48 Italian wines, from Northern Italia to the southern islands of

Sicilia & Sardegna we have a wine for you to enjoy, all estate grown. And, of course, signature cocktails and beer.

$$ L D

Mink River Basin 12010 Hwy 42 (920) 854-2250 minkriverbasin.com

$$ B L D J T { ( Osteria Tre Tassi 11976 Mink River Rd.

$$$ D T (

EPHRAIM

Anatolia

9922 Water Street, Unit 7

$$ L D

Bad Moravian 3055 Church St.

$$ D T

Chef’s Hat 9998 Pioneer Lane (920) 854-2034

$$ B L D J T { ( Cultured 2570 Cty Q (920) 512-3821

$ B L T

Good Eggs 9820 Brookside Lane (920) 854-6621

$ B L { Klaud’s Kitchen 10420 Water Street (920) 854-3005 klaudskitchen.com

$ B L D J T {

We’ve moved! Visit our new location. Still family owned and operated. Still offering fabulous bakery, espresso drinks, and all your favorite options for breakfast lunch and dinner. We’re open all year long and can’t wait to see you! Old Post Office

Restaurant 10040 Hwy 42 (920) 854-4034

oldpostoffice-door county.com

$$ B D J { ( Pearl Wine Cottage 3058 Church St. (920) 633-5006

pearlwinecottage.com

$$ D { Peninsula State Park Clubhouse Restaurant 9890 Shore Road (920) 854-5791

peninsulagolf.org

$ B L

Prince of Pierogi 9922 Water St., #6 (920) 421-8619

princeofpierogi.com

$$ L D { Sip 10326 N. Water St. (920) 857-5602

$$ B L D T {

The place to be for fresh, delicious food that

spotlights bold flavors and spectacular presentation. Full coffee shop and wine bar with relaxing indoor and outdoor seating. Combined space with fun home décor and excellent gifts you didn’t know you needed. Come Sip with us – open daily year-around, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Summer Kitchen 10425 Water St. (920) 854-2131

$$ B L D J { ( Located between Ephraim and Sister Bay, Door County’s only garden restaurant, Sumer Kitchen, is open every day for breakfast, luch and diner. Wellknown for its soup bar and homemade pies – in addition to the extensive menu – Summer Kitchen also serves autehentic Mexican food.

Sunset Harbor Grill 10018 Water St.

$$ B L D J

The Fashionable 9996 Pioneer Lane (920) 854-8008

$$$ D (T

Wilson’s Restaurant 9990 Water St. (920) 854-2041

wilsonsicecream.com

$ L D J {

FISH CREEK

Alexander’s of Door County 3667 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3532 alexandersofdoor county.com

$$$ D J T { ( Backroads Deli 9331 Spring Rd. B-23 backroadsdeli.com

$$ L J

Barringer’s Restaurant 1 N. Spruce St. (920) 868-3738 barringersdoor county.com

$$$ L D { T (

Bayside Coffee The Shops at the Bayside baysidecoffee cottage.com

$ B L J

Fish Creek’s only waterfront cafe. Beautifully situated across the street

from the town dock. Outdoor seating with a view. Featuring piping hot or iced Colectivo coffee, espresso drinks and Rishi teas, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads and bakery. Open May-August.

Bayside Tavern 4160 Main St. (920) 868-3441

baysidetavern.com

$ L D J T

For an unpredictably great time, visit Fish Creek’s favorite tavern. Serving cocktails, beer and our famous Bayside Coffee. Our shortorder menu features hearty house-made soups, sandwiches, burgers, housemade pizza, Friday fish fry and Smilen Bob’s chili. Open daily year-round!

Blue Horse Beach Café 4113 Main St. (920) 868-1471

bluehorsecafe.com

$ B L J T {

DC Chocolate Design 9341 Spring Road, Unit A6 (920) 868-5155

dcchocolate design.com

$ B L T {

English Inn 3713 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3076 theenglishinn.com

$$$ D J T ( Fika Bakery & Cafe 3903 Hwy 42 (920) 868-5233

$ B L {

Fish Creek Market 4164 Main St. (920) 868-3351

Fishcreekmarket 1892.com

$$ L Hill Street 4149 Main St. Hillstreetdoorcounty. com

$$ L D T

Julie’s Park Cafe & Motel 4020 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2999 juliesmotel.com

$$ B L J { (

Kettle Black Fish Boil 4158 Main St. (920) 868-5215 kettleblackfishboil. com

$$ D (

Loft 4170 Main St. (920) 868-5242

$$ L D J {

Not Licked Yet 4054 Hwy 42 (920) 868-2617

notlickedyet.com

$ L D {

Pelletier’s Restaurant Founder’s Square (920) 868-3313 doorcountyfish boil.com

$$ B L D J { ( Shiny Moon Café 4164 Main St. shinymooncafe.com

$$ B L T

The Beach Bowl

Founder’s Square, 4199 Main St.

$ B L

The Cherry Hut 8813 Hwy 42 (920) 868-4450 doorcounty cherryhut.com

$$ L D J {

Welcker’s Lounge 4192 Main St. (920) 660-4316 welckers.com

$$$ B L D ( White Gull Inn 4225 Main St. (920) 868-3517 whitegullinn.com

$$$ B L D J T (

Serving breakfast, including the famous cherry stuffed French toast as featured on Good Morning America, as well as a full menu daily. Featuring fish boils in the summer, fall and select winter nights, along with candlelight dinners. Reservations recommended for dinner.

Wild Tomato Wood-Fired Pizza & Grille 4023 Hwy 42 (920) 868-3095

wildtomatopizza.com

$ L D J T {

FORESTVILLE

The Bullpen 213 W. Main St., #9691 (920) 856-6199

$$ L D T

The Hen House

Bar & Grill 1311 W. Main Street (920) 856-6950

$$ L D T

- Sat.

GILLS ROCK

Cuesta Coffee 12625 Hwy 42

cuestacoffee@ gmail.com

$ BLT{

Shoreline Restaurant 12747 Hw. 42 (920) 854-2950

theshorelinerestaur ant.com

$$$ D ( Join us at the tip of Door County in Gills Rock and experience dining on the western shore of picturesque Green Bay. Treat yourself to contemporary food & cocktails while enjoying the milliondollar views! We offer steaks, salads, seafood, and pasta, along with chef-inspired featured dishes.

JACKSONPORT

Island Fever Rum Bar & Grill

Cty V and Hwy 57 (920) 823-2700

$ L D J T {

Little Bit of Coffee 6332 Hwy 57 (920) 823-2408

$ B

Located in Jacksonport at the Square Rigger Lodge, you will find us serving delicious coffee, quiche and baked goods. Come for the coffee and linger for the great water view!

Mike’s Port Pub 6269 Hwy 57 (920) 823-2081

$$ L D T

SISTER BAY

Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant 10698 N. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-2626 aljohnsons.com

$$ B L D J T

Boathouse on the Bay 10716 N. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-3223

$$$ L D J {

Flip-flop into Boathouse on teh Bay for outside seating and majestic marina and sunset views. Stay for the people, great food and specialty drinks. With patio seating, the upstairs Fly Bridge Bar, and dining with floor to ceiling windows, you can’t miss the beautiful panoramic views.

Carroll House 2445 S. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-7997

$ B L J

CHOP

2345 Mill Road (920) 854-2700

$$$ D J T { (

Crain’s Kitchen

10635 N. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 633-4047

$ L D

Door County Creamery 10653 Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-3388

$ L D {

Door County Ice Cream Factory 11051 Hwy 42 (920) 854-9693

doorcountyice cream.com

$ L D J {

Try super premium ice cream made right here in-store! Choose from 30 flavors, a long list of sundaes and other specialty ice cream offerings. Enjoy one of 15 sandwiches made to order, homse-made pizza, soups and salds. You’ll find somethign for everyone!

Dovetail Bar & Grill

10282 Hwy 57 (920) 421-4035

$$ L D J

Fat Belly

10621 N. Highland Road (920) 854-3500

fatbellybowls.com

$$ L D { Goose & Twigs

Coffee Shop

2322 Mill Road (920) 854-3212

$$ B L { Grasse’s Grill

10663 N. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-1125

$$ B L J {

Husby’s Food and Spirits 10641 N. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-2624

$ L D J T { LURE Intersection of Hwys 42 and 57 (920) 854-8111 luredoorcounty.com

$$$ D J T { ( McEvoy’s Culinaria & Catering 2602 S. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-8029

$ L D T {

Northern Grill & Pizza 10573 Country Walk Dr. (920) 854-9590

$$ L D J { Pasta Vino 10571 Country Walk Dr.

$$$ D Roots Kitchen 2378 Maple Dr. (920) 854-5107

$ L T { Sister Bay Bowl 10640 N. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-2841 sisterbaybowl.com

$$ L D J T

Famous for its Friday-night perch fry and its prime rib, this throwback to yesteryear is located in the heart of Sister Bay, open year-round. Featuring a full dining room, grill and bar, plus Northern Door’s only bowling alley. Skip Stone Coffee Roasters 10678 S. Bay Shore Dr., Building 2 skipstonecoffee.com

$ B L J T {

Solago Restaurant & Tequila Bar 10961 Hwy 42 solagodoorcounty. com

$ L D J T

Stabbur Beer Garden at Al Johnson’s 10698 Bay Shore Dr. (920) 421-4628

$$ L D {

Sub Express at Sister Bay Mobil 2579 S. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-6700

$ B L D J T { The Waterfront 10947 Hwy 42 (920) 854-5491 waterfront-dc.com

$$$$ D

Thyme Restaurant + Catering 10339 Hwy 57 (920) 421-5112

Thymecatering DoorCounty.com

$$ L D { J T ( Thyme restaurant has a new home in Sister Bay. Join us at our brand-new restaurant, bar and outdoor dining space, where we’ll be serving up fresh, new dishes, as well as some of our classics. Next door is twelve eleven provisions +

wine bar, where you can enjoy a variety of wines sourced and produced from grapes grown in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Our private, open-air dining space and gabled meadow are available to rent. See you soon!

Wild Tomato WoodFired Pizza & Grille 10677 N. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 854-4685 wildtomatopizza.com

$ L D J T {

STURGEON BAY

A’Boat Time 26 E. Oak St. (920) 746-0600 aboattime doorcounty.com

$$ B L J T

Corner Café

113 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 743-1991

$ B L J T ( 5th and Jefferson Café 232 N. 5th Ave. (920) 746-1719

$ B L D {

Betsy Ross Family

Restaurant

239 Green Bay Road (920) 743-811

Betsyross restaurant.com

$ B L D

Birmingham’s 4709 N. Bay Shore Dr. (920) 743-5215 birminghamsbar andcottages.com

$$ L D J T

Blue Front Café

86 W. Maple St. (920) 743-9218

$$ L J T (

Brick Lot Pub & Grill

253 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 743-9339

bricklotpub.com

$ L D J T

Cedar Crossing Restaurant & Bar 336 Louisiana St. (920) 743-4200 innatcedar crossing.com

$$$ B L D J T (

Chaser’s Sports Bar & Grill 1217 N. 14th Ave. (920) 743-6997 applevalleylanes.net $$

Cherry Lanes

Arcade Bar

127 N. 4th Ave. (920) 818-0093

facebook.com/ cherrylanes arcadebar

$$$ D

Crate — Sushi & Seafood

136 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 818-1333

$$$ D T { (

Dan’s Kitchen

50 S. 3rd Ave. (920) 818-1300

dans-kitchen.com

$ L D T

Door County Fire Company

38 S. 3rd Ave. (920) 818-0625

$$ L D J T

Drömhus 611 Jefferson St. (608) 333-4553

dromhus doorcounty.com

$ D T {

Elmo’s Woodfired Pizza

143 N. 4th Ave. (920) 818-0408

$$ L D T

THE GNOSHERY THE GNOSHERY

Fatzo’s

46 Green Bay Road (920) 743-6300

$ L D J T { Get Real Café

43 S. Madison Ave. (920) 818-1455

getrealcafedoor county.com

$$ B L D

Gloria’s Authentic

Mexican Restaurant 23 W. Oak Street (920) 421-5112

$$ L D J T

Greystone Castle 8 N. Madison Ave. (920) 743-9923

Greystonecastle bar.com

$$ L D J T

Healthy Way Market

216 S. 3rd Ave. (920) 746-4103

healthyway market.com

$$ L

Hoffman’s Red Room

66 S. 3rd Ave. (920) 743-3913

$ L D T

Kick Coffee

148 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 746-1122

$ B L T { Kinara Urban Eatery 25 N. Madison Ave. (920) 743-8772

$ L D T Kitty O’Reilly’s Irish Pub 59 E. Oak St. (920) 743-7441 kittyoreillys.com

$$ L D J T { Lodge at Leathem Smith

1640 Memorial Dr. (920) 743-5555

$$ L D J T { ( Melt Bistro 2189 Cty DK (920) 825-7272

$ B L T { Melt Bistro (inside Renard’s Cheese) serves delicious, homestyle comfort food with an elevated twist. Menu items are made to order from

scratch using only the freshest ingredients. Many selections feature our own handcrafted artisan cheeses. Pizza, hot and cold sandwiches, mac & cheese, soups, salads, a wide selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, Chocolate Shoppe ice cream and more. Breakfast is available all day. Open daily yearround. View our menu at RenardsCheese.com.

Mill Supper Club 4128 Hwy 42/57 N. (920) 743-5044

$$$ D J T

Morning Glory by the Bay 306 S. 3rd Ave. (920) 818-0711

$$ B L

Morning Glory Restaurant 7502 Hwy 42 (920) 743-5355

$ B L J Old Mexico 901 Egg Harbor Road (920) 818-1500

oldmexicowi.com

$$ L D J T {

Poh’s Corner Pub 164 N. 3rd Ave.

$ L D T

Samuelson’s Creek Pub & Grill

1009 S. Oxford Ave. (920) 743-3295 whitebirchinn.com

$$ L D J T ( Scaturo’s Café 19 Green Bay Road (920) 746-8727

$ B L J T { ( Sonny’s Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria 129 N. Madison Ave. (920) 743-2300 sonnyspizzeria.com

$$ L D J T ( Sunrise Food & Drinks 1463 Egg Harbor Rd. (920) 818-0157

$ B L T

Hidden Bridge Pub 2049 Cty S (920) 743-4807

$$$ D Stone Harbor 107 N. 1st St. (920) 746-0700

stoneharborresort.com

$$$ B L D J T { ( Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club 600 Nautical Dr. (920) 743-6934

$$$ L D ( The Gnoshery 23 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 818-0727

$ B L T The Gnoshery is the county’s premier board game cafe. Filled with fun, games and great “Gnoshables” – food and drink that make your experience a truly memorable one! The Nightingale Supper Club 1541 Egg Harbor Road (920) 743-5593

$$$ D J T

Trattoria Dal Santo 147 N. 3rd Ave. (920) 743-6100 trattoriadalsanto.com

$$$ D T ( Waterfront Mary’s Bar & Grill

3662 N. Duluth Ave. (920) 743-3191 waterfrontmarys barandgrill.com

$$ L D J T { VALMY

Donny’s Glidden Lodge Restaurant 4670 Glidden Dr. (920) 746-9460 gliddenlodge.com

$$$ D J T { ( Institute Saloon 4599 Hwy 57 (920) 743-1919 institutesaloon.com

$ L D T

The Hitching Post 4849 Glidden Dr. (920) 818-1114 thehitchingpost doorcounty.com

$$ B L D J ( Valmy Happy Hour 4418 Whitefish Bay Road (920) 743-6236

$ L D J T

WASHINGTON ISLAND

Albatross Drive-In N7W1910 Lobdells Point Road (920) 847-2203

$ L D { Bread & Water Café 1275 Main Road (920) 847-2400

$$ B L { Cellar Restaurant at Karly’s Bar Main Road (920) 847-2655

$$$ L D J T { ( Fiddler’s Green 1699 Jackson Harbor Road (920) 847-2610 washingtonisland fiddlersgreen.com

$$ L D T {

RESTAURANT GUIDE

Hotel Washington 354 Range Line Road (920) 847-3010

$$$ D T { (

Island Pizza At the ferry dock (920) 847-3222

$ L D

Jackson Harbor Soup 1904 Indian Point Road (920) 847-2589

$ L { KK Fiske Restaurant 1177 Main Road (920) 847-2121

$ B L D T

Le Café and The Distillery at Fragrant Isle

Lavender Farm 1350 Airport Road (920) 847-2950 fragrantisle.com

$ B L { Enjoy Le Cafe’s selection of gourmet lavender treats such as fresh croissants, baguettes, cookies, chocolates, ice cream, signature sandwiches and salads, famous macarons and more. Sip signature drinks

DOOR COUNTY FOOD TRUCKS

Backbone Instagram: @backbonefoodtruck

Carjack’s facebook.com/ carjackspattywagon

Chives Food Truck Court chivesfoodtruck.com

Great Lakes BBQ Co. greatlakesbbqcompany.com

Jolly Street Pizza facebook.com/ jollystreetpizza

from The Distillery wine and craft beer bar, and signature sandwiches while overlooking the lavender fields and gardens. Visit Fragrant Isle – “a magical place.”

Nelsen’s Hall

Bitters Pub

W19N1205 Main Road (920) 847-2496

$ L D T { Red Cup Coffee House 1885 Detroit Harbor Road (920) 847-3304

$ B L

Sailor’s Pub 1475 South Shore Dr. (920) 847-2105

$$$ D { ( Sunset Resort Old West Harbor Road (920) 847-2531 sunsetresortwi.com

$ B The Point Grille 164 Green Bay Road (920) 421-3663 thepointgrille.com

$$ L D

LoLo’s Food Truck lolosfoodtruck.com

Mauricio’s mauriciosdoco.com Papa B’s facebook.com/ papabsfoodtruck

Savor BBQ facebook.com/savorbbqco

Sergio’s sergiosmexicanfood.com

Tacqueria Neri taquerianeri.com

Wally’s doorcountyweeniewagon. com

888 Cheese 888cheeseandco.com

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Each week, hosts Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald bring you the stories behind the stories in the Peninsula Pulse, Door County’s resource for news, arts, culture and entertainment. Through conversations with artists, musicians, business owners and newsmakers, you’ll get a deeper connection to the place we call home.

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