Wisconsin Foodie

Ryan Castelaz

I had always been an artist. I grew up a musician. And when I moved to Door County, I kind of stopped doing music. And I needed a way to express myself. I saw these chefs using food as a manner of expression. And I thought, "Well, I can't cook, but I can make a mean cup of coffee." So, is there a way that we can use coffee to tell the same stories?

Kyle Cherek

This is...

Ryan Castelaz

That's the goal, man. This is inspired.

Sarah Holmes

The philosophy is beautiful food. The menu kind of goes all over the place nationally and internationally, which we love. That's exciting and it's not a lot of what you see in Door County where supper clubs are still kind of the prominent experience you get while dining out. Wow, that sesame with the white fish, the buttery flavor and then this lovely scallion sauce is so good together. This is... yeah. Sarah, right on.

beat music

Sarah Holmes

Wisconsin Foodie would like to thank

the following underwriters for their support

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board representing the dairy farm families of Wisconsin. Who foster a proud history with generations of family-owned dairy farms. Working to sustain the state's economy through job growth and providing acclaimed cheeses and other dairy products. Every product tells a story and every story starts with a seed. Your story, your product, your company all started with an idea. Illing Company ensures you have the right packaging to help you proudly take your harvest to market. Illing Company is dedicated to packaging your vision. American Kitchen Cookware is proud to support Wisconsin Foodie and helping food lovers everywhere embrace their own culinary adventure. With cookware manufactured right here in Wisconsin, we're working every day to make people's lives better in and out of the kitchen. Employee-owned New Glarus Growing Company has been brewing and bottling beer for their friends, only in Wisconsin, since 1993. Just a short drive from Madison, come visit Swissconsin and see where your beer's made. Milwaukee's landmark art deco hotel offers luxury accommodations, legendary hospitality, and world-class dining. Award-winning chef Jason Gorman's contemporary take on cuisine, paired with the hotel's "Roaring 20's" vibe, makes the Ambassador a must-experience destination. Society Insurance, small details, big difference. Edible Milwaukee magazine. Also, with support of the Friends of Wisconsin Public Television.

fast upbeat music

car whooshing by

chickens clucking

beverage bubbling

crunching

sizzling

guitar music

the following underwriters for their support

conversation in background

the following underwriters for their support

Hi, my name is Ryan Castelaz. I'm owner and creative director of Discourse Coffee. I knew that I wanted to start a coffee shop. I had always been an artist. I grew up a musician. And when I moved to Door County, I kind of stopped doing music. And I needed a way to express myself. I saw these chefs using food as a manner of expression. And I thought, "Well, I can't cook, but I can make a mean cup of coffee." So, is there a way that we can use coffee to tell the same stories? You look on our sign outside. It doesn't say, "Coffee." It says, "A liquid workshop." So when people come in here, there isn't that priming of, "I'm gonna get a normal coffee experience." People have been unreal-accepting about that. I think the biggest challenge is blending that with a traditional coffee shop. So that if people come in and they want a 12-ounce cup of coffee and they wanna play it safe, we're gonna make you a dang good cup of coffee. But to do that, and then balance it with the excitement and the wonder-- I think that's the challenge but also the fun. And so that gives us the opportunity. When people come in here, we ask, "You want something hot or cold, mild or bold?" And that's about all we do. And then we guide you to something on the menu. My partner and our director of coffee is Chris Johnston. We met winter of 2015. I went back to Milwaukee to do a stint at Valentine Coffee. Which is really where I learned to be a barista. And I met this kid, and we were always on the 12 to 5 shift. Which is, you know, a little bit tough for a coffee shop. We would do latte showdowns with each other all the time. We'd always try to be creating wacky, new, fun, wild drinks. And we kind of just realized, "Dang! There is something here. And we should do something about it." So as soon as I knew Discourse was gonna happen, as soon as we got this space, he was the first one I called. And I said, "Hey, man, I know this is crazy. "Do you want to uproot your entire life, "move from Milwaukee to Door County, and start a coffee shop in Sister Bay?" And he said, "Yeah, yeah, I think I could do that." Discourse Coffee. Ryan, how are you buddy? - My man. Nice to see you. - Good to see you. Got the long hug going there. Christopher, how are you? Good, man. This is very exciting. I'm thrilled for both of you gentlemen. Thank you so much. I'm here to taste more coffee than I've probably had in my entire life. -I think we can do that for you. - Yeah? Let's get 'ya caffed up! - Alright.

drumming

the following underwriters for their support

So what we got here is the first thing I'm gonna do for you. Alright. - This is called "Crenn." You just put a powder on there! I did. - Alright. Every week we do a new one. So this week, what we're rockin' with... We have a spearmint-infused cold brew. It's frozen in spherical ice balls. We take 'em out and we dip 'em in a mix of Madagascar chocolate from Dandelion in San Francisco. So that's the globe? - Yep, that's the globe. We temper the chocolate, and then we brush it with a honey that we smoke with applewood for a little bit of added depth, complexity, florality. And then on the top, we make a new salt every week. So this week, it's matcha and vanilla bean salt that we've actually combined with matcha powder and dehydrated lime that we grinded up in an immersion blender. You want me to put this in my mouth? One bite, baby. - I can't wait. - One bite. I can't, in this world, think of any experience more fulfilling than seeing somebody react to something that you've made. Crenn is probably the most fun. You know, seeing people-- Their faces light up when it pops. That moment is special and we are so incredibly honored to be able to share that moment. So what happened was I put that in my mouth. I crushed it. The spherified coffee broke open in a liquid from the chocolate. The heat of my mouth broke down the fleur de sel with the matcha, the vanilla, and the lime. It mixed with the chocolate, it mixed with the coffee, and all of it washed to back corners of my tongue like melted chocolate does which is why we love it? - Absolutely. You're both a mad genius and someone who I'm liking more and more by the second.

laughter

the following underwriters for their support

Oh, thank you, God. Thank you. It's so good and unexpected. We're kind of taking the course that American coffee and the third wave coffee movement is going. And we're just saying, "Hey, this is awesome, but we could also do it this way." And that's kind of the embodiment of the name. You know, it's an active personification of what we try to do here. Next thing I want to taste test on you today-- Every week, we do two new coffee sodas. This one is called "Night Swim." So when you come up to Door County, one of the things you absolutely have to do is go on a night swim. Skinny dipping. - Absolutely. In the dark. Couple of days ago, I was taking one of these night swims and I wanted to make a drink that was inspired by it. Okay, this is really a tea drink right now? It is! It's matcha and B'lure extract. So B'lure is the extract of the Pea Blossom flower. Unique component of B'lure is it's almost flavorless, but when it comes into contact with citric acid-- Which is your lemon, right? - Yeah. You see at the bottom there? It's slowly starting to change to pink. Oh, yeah! That's my impression of the moonlight that was shining down on the lake that night. Oh, Ryan, I love this. And then, finally, I wanted to create something that would emulate the sea. So what we did was we actually steeped cold brew over nori. Like sushi, seaweed. - Exactly. And I'll fill you up. There you are, my man, "Night Swim." Night Swim. Oh, that's lovely. It has the chill of a night swim. Exactly. That cold touch of water even in the warmest of summers. The nori comes through in the most subtle way. Like, honestly, I was a little afraid that would be a bit overwhelming.

laughs

the following underwriters for their support

That's the goal, man. This is inspired. One more thing I want to make up for you today. So this is made with our farm partners at Hidden Acres. We went over there the other day with a friend and they had these incredible melons. Melons that you stuck your nose on the melon-- And you smelled it? - And you tasted it! Yeah. - Incredible. And I didn't know what I wanted to do with it. I just knew I wanted to use it. I made a juice out of it and it was good, but I wanted to do something else. I wanted to emulate a roasted melon. So we steeped it over heat with turbinado sugar and tellicherry pepper. Because that's what everybody does. Absolutely.

Kyle laughs

the following underwriters for their support

You got to. After that, we added the reductions to a little bit of cold brew and some whole milk. We're using cold brew from my partners at Onyx; absolutely wonderful people, wonderful coffee. And what came out was "Frenchie." This is about as exuberant and expressive of Door County and of Sister Bay right now as we can hope to be. Okay, here goes-- Dope straw by the way! - Thank you very much. This is solid copper. Oh, that's so good.

laughs

the following underwriters for their support

That's so rich and soft and sweet and depthful. My favorite part about that drink is how the cold brew kind of almost blends in perfectly to the powder of the melon. This is lovely. - Thank you so much, Kyle. And I don't even like sipping through straws.

laughs, claps

the following underwriters for their support

So we can't let you come into a coffee shop without giving you coffee. A caf should be judged by its most earnest, humble, and straightforward cup. Absolutely. But, whose coffee is this? Because you don't roast here. - We don't roast. So we source coffee over the course of the year from a stable of 16 different roasters. But this guy is from my dear friends at Onyx Coffee Labs. So, you'll get melon. You'll get... We get a little black tea. We get florality. We get honeysuckle, jasmine. Yeah, get the honeysuckle and the jasmine, and then I got this rich base note that's like a vibration of-- It's almost leaning towards that good spot when you kind of burn the toast but it's not quite. Absolutely. - Like that deep brown. Absolutely. - That's in here. That crunch. - Yeah. You've taken me on a poetic journey through flavor. I never expected it from a caf, though I'm not surprised with you and your partner.

laughs

the following underwriters for their support

Thanks, man. Thank you. - Alright. Thank you for taking the journey with us. Delighted. I'm off to see a little bit more of Door County. And maybe get that night swim in. Take that night swim, baby.

laughs

the following underwriters for their support

See 'ya. - Cheers, Kyle.

light string music

slow guitar music

the following underwriters for their support

When Sarah Holmes, one of the co-owners of the Wickman House wanted to spread her culinary wings and create something a little bit more intimate, a little bit more tender, a little bit more feminine, and a little bit more urbane, she created Trixie's in Ephraim. I'm excited about the menu and I'm excited to experience the environment that, I think, probably only Sarah and her team and those who came over from Wickman House can create.

guitar playing

conversation in background

the following underwriters for their support

Trixie's is what we're calling the "little sister" to Wickman House Restaurant in Ellison Bay. The philosophy is beautiful food. Menu kind of goes all over the place, nationally and internationally, which we love. That's exciting and it's not a lot of what you see in Door County where supper clubs are still kind of the prominent experience you get while dining out. Hi, Sarah Holmes! - Hi, Kyle Cherek. Look at this beautiful thing you built called Trixie's. Welcome. This is-- It's gorgeous. - Thank you. And it has a glow that I've known in you for a long time. But now it's evident in a restaurant. Well, thank you so much for being here. So give me the poetry of this place through food. The menu is designed to sort of invite snacking. We want to invite people in for a drink of wine and maybe it turns out to be a little bit more. The food is very beautiful. We source local ingredients, just like the Wickman House, whenever we can. And this time of year it's pretty easy to do. We're surrounded by beautiful farms all over the place. So where would you begin with someone like me, an old friend, that comes to Trixie's? This is Hidden Acres' tomatoes gazpacho with Door County Creamery goat Feta and local cucumbers. And there's a little bit of melon in here, too. Correct, yeah, also from Farmer Tom. Oh, come on, okay.

Sarah Holmes laughs

the following underwriters for their support

Ooh, look, there's the bite right there. I got a little bit of all of it. That's-- There's moments like this that can only happen in the depth of the season, when things that come from nearby that are grown and cherished with purpose. Absolutely, a little bite of summer right there. Absolutely, yeah. Ready for some burrata? - Mm-hmm. We are in Wisconsin after all, so we should highlight some cheese. We have a dish called burrata. It's made by our kitchen. It's house-made burrata. And it's featuring some local tomatoes, which it is still tomato season. And these tomatoes are from Hidden Acres farms. So this is Farmer Tom's bounty, then. I love Hidden Acres. - Yeah, absolutely beautiful. Farmer Tom, Tom Horsley of Hidden Acres Farms is a great friend of the restaurants. He gives us something. We make a special and that special sells out almost instantly, 'cause it's that good. Okay, so this is the burrata dish that our Chef Murphy makes from scratch here. What we do is we get curd in, and then she'll take it and she'll heat it up, stretch it, roll it out. And then, she makes a filling. She adds the filling. Tie it off, and then it goes right into the brine. We have some confit cherry tomatoes, some gremolata, a little grape must, a fair amount of fresh lemon zest and then we season it with salt and pepper, as well. Top it off with some microgreens. Can I get a modest glass of water, maybe? Maybe a pairing of wine because when at Trixie's, I'm told that's important. I would love that. - Yeah. - Yes, absolutely. So I always start off by asking one question,

which is

red, white or pink? I normally wouldn't answer pink, but when at Trixie's... So, I'm gonna pour for you a glass of the Farmstrong Field Blend Ros. It's a gorgeous label. - It's very beautiful. Faith Armstrong is the maker of this wine. And we like to support everything she does because she is kind of a wizard at terre noire. And she's a lady so we like to support her. So is there kind of a directive to get female-centric grown, produced, cooked things here at Trixie's? Yeah, I think that people see our menu and they see the notes about female-made wines and are sort of surprised that it's not already prominent in the industry. Yeah. - It's just really not. There's not a lot of them out there. So we want to support what they do. Here's to a lightness of touch. Cheers. Okay, here we are. - Oooh. This is our house-made burrata. Hello, pretty! Alright now, burrata is one of those delicate cheese-stuffs that came on-trend a couple of years ago? Yes. And we're here in Wisconsin so I know the creams and milks are terrific. But this is the real test. It's the best burrata I've ever had.

laughs

which is

It is literally the freshest, best burrata I've ever had. Chef Matt's gonna be really happy. This is the best burrata I've ever had. Good to hear. I had a guest recently tell me that he thought it looked like a pillow he wanted to take a nap on. And then wake up and eat.

chuckles

which is

Wow. - I thought that was good. Okay, Kyle. Okay Sarah! So here we have Lake Michigan white fish done two different ways. Oh, right on! So this is a fish that was swimming quite possibly... Yesterday. -...about 200 yards that way. Absolutely, yeah. - That's legit. I feel like I should go, like this is the solid stalwart that you've tweaked up and done beautifully in what I will now call "the Trixie's aesthetic." Okay, yeah. But I feel like I should launch with the ceviche. I like that because it's definitely more of an appetizer dish. Oh, yeah, it's great. - Yeah. I think the initial response people have to the word ceviche is like, "I don't eat raw fish, that's not what I do. And I especially don't eat raw fish out of Lake Michigan." And I feel like when you're eating this dish, at no point do you feel like you're eating raw fish. It's citrus-cured and it's beautifully fresh. I mean that's the thing, it's cured, it's cooked. It's prepared. It is not, in fact, raw. No. It just has that texture, which is really fun. Yeah, and everyone feels more cosmopolitan and sophisticated when they say ceviche.

laughs

which is

Tonight's white fish du jour. As you can see, it has sesame. So it's black and white sesame seeds that encrust the filet. And then, it's cast-iron seared. So the goal there is to achieve some amount of crispiness with the skin on. So the shishito peppers are grilled. Those are from Hidden Acres. The cherry tomatoes are, as well. The blueberries are house pickled. Again, we have the Cressida microgreens. And the green sauce down on the plate is a scallion vinaigrette. The second highlight of this plate is that those chanterelle mushrooms are foraged by our Chef Matt. He's a masterful forager and we're really lucky to have him on our team because we always have a nice bounty of local mushrooms. Okay, I'm going in. Fork in that pure bite. Oh, yeah. Mm. Wow, that sesame with the white fish, the buttery flavor, and then, this lovely scallion sauce is so good together. There's like a tight, salty, buttery, warm, crisp that's going on. Yeah, Sarah, right on. The chefs are very focused on texture with this set of menu items. And I think that this is homage to that. It's a lot of crunch throughout. I'm lovin' this meal so far. And there's one more, right? We move on to beef. Good, let's do it. - Cool. So we get some local Wisconsin beef, from the Wisconsin Grass-Fed Beef Cooperative. After this comes off, we're gonna let it rest briefly. It's just a small steak. And then, normally you don't slice a tenderloin but we'll slice it just to make sure it's nice and easy to eat and it tastes just like butter. So the Pommes Anna is just made with russet potatoes and clarified butter. You slice 'em real thin on a mandolin and then we just layer it in a cast-iron pan and bake it. We're gonna add some of our local cherry tomatoes. Freshen this dish up a little bit with some local arugula. We're gonna top the meat with some horse radish chimichurri and finish it with some salsa balsamica, which is a mix of balsamic and sherry vinegar. Alright, Kyle, so next up, your final course is Trixie's filet mignon. In this case, the idea is to have a crispy bite through and through the dish. It's what a filet should be, in that it hardly requires... I mean, it's really just inhaling and exhaling...

chuckles

which is

...more than chewing. - Melts in your mouth, I hope. Mm-hmm. - Great. But the reality of how great beef can taste when it's raised right, when it's treasured. It makes a difference. - This is a pleasure to eat. It's a real pleasure to eat. Sarah, thank you for such an amazingly fine meal. It was my pleasure. I mean, it was just on-point, every step, step, step, step, step. Well, thanks for being part of it. I'm just happy to be a spectator. That's a good way to live. I think so, too.

upbeat music

which is

Yeah, this is like, I'm being punked right now. Throw it, totally. No, look at that. You can only cut it. I got the first half and you couldn't get the close up on that? Look at that. Oh, we were close. It's a little awkward for me right now because I typically night swim, you know, naked.

laughs

which is

And here we are in front of-- Well, we're almost closed. Right, alright, we're good. Yeah, it's like opening up a door to a room and you realize, this is an auditorium. - Yep. But you don't have to go any further. You just say, "Echo, echo, echo." But the melon is...

snaps fingers

which is

Boom! Whoo! - In your face. It's an opera singer singing on-stage. Yeah! Mmm, that's magic. Wisconsin Foodie would like to thank

the following underwriters for their support

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board representing the dairy farm families of Wisconsin, who foster a proud history with generations of family-owned dairy farms working to sustain the state's economy through job growth and providing acclaimed cheeses and other dairy products. Every product tells a story and every story starts with a seed. Your story, your product, your company all started with an idea. Illing Company ensures you have the right packaging to help you proudly take your harvest to market. Illing Company is dedicated to packaging your vision. American Kitchen Cookware is proud to support Wisconsin Foodie and helping food lovers everywhere embrace their own culinary adventure. With cookware manufactured right here in Wisconsin, we're working every day to make people's lives better in and out of the kitchen. Employee-owned New Glarus Brewing Company has been brewing and bottling beer for their friends, only in Wisconsin, since 1993. Just a short drive from Madison, come visit Swissconsin and see where your beer's made. Milwaukee's landmark art deco hotel offers luxury accommodations, legendary hospitality, and world-class dining. Award-winning chef Jason Gorman's contemporary take on cuisine, paired with the hotel's "Roaring 20's" vibe, makes the Ambassador a must-experience destination. Society Insurance, small details, big difference. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The Central Wisconsin Craft Collective. Something Special from Wisconsin Rushing Waters Fisheries. FAB Wisconsin. Edible Milwaukee magazine. Also, with support of the Friends of Wisconsin Public Television. For more information about upcoming Wisconsin Foodie special events, dinners, and tours, please go to wisconsinfoodie.com. There you can sign up for our mailing list to be the first to know about our events and offerings. Also, get connected with us through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.