TRADITIONAL MILWAUKEE SUMMER FOODS

Here in Milwaukee there are certain recipes that everyone cooks every summer.  They are die hard recipes that from year to year are classics.  Brats and beer describes the Milwaukee summer to a T. Very easy to make and something that everyone loves.

MILWAUKEE SUMMER BEER BRATS

1 dozen brats

Beer, to cover

1 medium large sweet onion

2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter

Place brats in a Dutch oven with onions and butter, cover the brats with beer. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until brats are cooked. Remove brats and set aside beer mixture. Grill brats until golden brown and return to beer mixture until ready to serve. Serve brats on fresh baked brat buns with sauerkraut, onions, green peppers, ketchup, and/or mustard


At custard stands (another Milwaukee institution) a favorite dish is borrowed from our neighbor, Chicago.  The Chicago hot dog is another tradition of the Milwaukee summer.

CHICAGO HOT DOG

1 all-beef hot dog

1 poppy seed hot dog bun

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon sweet green pickle relish

1 tablespoon chopped onion

4 tomato wedges

1 dill pickle spear

2 sport peppers

1 dash celery salt

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, place hot dog in water, and cook 5 minutes or until done. Remove hot dog and set aside. Carefully place a steamer basket into the pot and steam the hot dog bun 2 minutes or until warm.  Place hot dog in the steamed bun. Pile on the toppings in this order: yellow mustard, sweet green pickle relish, onion, tomato wedges, pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt. The tomatoes should be nestled between the hot dog and the top of the bun. Place the pickle between the hot dog and the bottom of the bun.