Wisconsin Trip Part Two--Food and Stuff

Like I wrote in my last post....it was really cold when I arrived in Milwaukee. This is the temperature at 7am on Thursday morning. President Carter would be really proud of us keeping the thermostat below 72 degrees!
The frozen tundra of my sister's back yard. Even though this is all dead-looking, she showed me the teeny-tiny shoots of tulips that were starting to come up.
After working all day Friday prepping the shower food, we--my sister, dad and I went to church and worked at the Fish Fry. They really do a good job and this is one of the most popular church fish frys in town. There was even smelt on the menu! They served close to 500 dinners.
Sunday we went to the Iron Horse hotel for brunch. It is a new hotel that was made by converting an old wherehouse. It is located near the new Harley-Davidson Museum. We ate in the bar area. It was a beautiful room with huge windows. Keeping with the wherehouse motif--they used old workbenches and stools. The chair I sat on was just like my old drafting stool from the old days when I worked at a drafting table. Ahhh....comfy nostalgia.

The food was excellent. There were about ten of us at the table and it was split between breakfast items and lunch items. No complaints. 

The best thing about this burger was that they ran the cheese under the broiler and made it all bubbly...nice touch. The buns were house-made too.
Of course, I had to have a brat. It was pretty good. 
Bubblers!
Here's a great example of a ghost sign--
I made my Dad take me to Leon's on Sunday afternoon. It was the first nice day for about a week and everyone was out getting some custard. This was about 5 in the afternoon.
I got the smallest hot fudge sundae possible. Heaven in a cup.
On Monday we went driving around. Still a few chunks of ice in the lake.
The is the Wisconsin Gas Company Building. Sadly, it seems to be in need of an occupant. Back in the day, the "flame" on the top of the building would be illuminated at night with a color code for the weather. Now, I think it is only lit on special occasions, if ever. Sad.
Here's is a poster I have that tells what the colors mean--

I seldom go east down Wisconsin Avenue. Wow--what a great view! I usually come from the south so I never get to see this angle. Somebody really got this one right.

Save The Candy Raisins!

OH NO! The end of Candy Raisins, the weird candy beloved by Milwaukeeans?!?! Say it ain't so! As my cousin said..."Not candy raisins AND Brett Favre!".
The New England Confectionery Co., is closing its Pewaukee-based Stark Candy Co. in May. The Pewaukee facility is the only place in the nation (and I assume, planet) that makes Candy Raisins. The parent company has not indicated if they will continue production in their Massachusetts facility, so understandably, people are sounding the alarm.

A Wisconsin guy, Gary Radke, even set up an online petition to persuade New England Confectionery to keep the Candy Raisins.

I like candy raisins. I haven't had one for a while though. Back in the bad old "non-PC" days, we called them "Indian Raisins". I do not remember them being available in individual packages...it was the kind of candy you'd get at a store with a candy counter. Back then, the Sears on Forest Home Avenue had a nut and candy counter and maybe (just maybe) if we were good, my sister and I would get a dime to get some candy or nuts. Candy Raisins would have been one of the choices. Woolworth's or Quality Candy were other places where they were available. My dad likes them and I remember more than once giving him a bagful as a birthday gift.

For those of you unfamiliar with Candy Raisins...let me explain. They are small and chewy--about the size and the consistency of a gumdrop. Now that I think of it the color is a pretty unappealing tan. They do not taste anything like a raisin. Other writers have described them as soapy tasting or with a light ginger taste. I would say they have a flowery taste, almost perfumey. Sort of like the bergamot flavor of Earl Grey tea. I agree, they are "love-it-or-leave-it" candy. I know for sure Dale will say it is another candy for people who don't like candy.


Here's what "The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel" had to say about the whole thing.

I have already seen a successful resurrection of my favorite Licorice Snaps, so I have a good feeling that Candy Raisins will survive too.

After I go sign the petition, I think I'll order a pound or so for old time's sake. I wonder if the magic will still be there?