Cucurbita Pepo or as the kids are calling them these days, Pumpkins, are amazing squash. So amazing that my hometown of Egg Harbor, Wisconsin ( pop. 250) has a festival every October to honor this fall classic. On this particular weekend every October thousands of people pile into this normally sleepy town  and get their Pumpkin on. Why you may ask? Pumpkins are feast for the eyes as well as the stomach; pie, soup, seeds, and of course the jack-o-lantern are just a few of the uses you will see at Pumpkin Patch. To be honest I’m more interested in the wide variety of ciders, cheeses, beers, and delicious bratwursts. Brats might vary well be the greatest sausage of all time. Out of all the vendors, shops, and miscellaneous crap being sold at P.P. the best had to be Wisconsin Cheese Masters. This gourmet cheese stand was selling a ungodly amount of four separate cheeses on a stick. The cherry on top was it only cost four dollars. I love Wisconsin. The cheese was amazing and that is why I’m supporting the internet business, go ahead and check it out. www.wisconsincheesemasters.com

Squirrel is one of my favorite things to eat. Woah, woah, woah! Before you make any rash judgments, give me a chance to plead my case. Squirrels are closely related to the rabbit, which we all know is a delicate delicious protein served at all of the finest restaurants. I feel North American Gray Squirrel is far superior to rabbit in a number of ways. The squirrel lives a life of leisure, napping in trees, gathering acorns, and frolicking in the autumn leaves. The rabbit on the other hand is very nervous animal and prone to sprint off at the drop of hat. These high speed getaways result in tough meat. Squirrels on the other hand, keep things pretty cool, calm, and collected resulting in tender delicious meat. As far as the squirrel’s diet goes it is simply amazing; acorns (and other assorted nuts), apples, and corn are the bulk of the food sources. For these reasons when squirrel is prepared properly it is one of the finest meals in the world. Below is squirrel stew recipe that I created in the fall of 2009 and it turned out amazing. Click on the photo to enlarge.

Welcome to my world. I have been away living, L-I-V-I-N actually, but now I’m back and willing to write about. For those of you who are new and not familiar with my slightly skewed perspective of seeing and experiencing life let me offer a warning. This site will most definitely include blood red meat, savory sauces, descriptions and antics of my crazy friends, unprofessional looking photographs, tales of indulgence in wine, beer, spirits, dancing, and life in general. This list does not exclude the discussion of such important things like family, golf, foraging, current events, swimming, music, literature, etc. etc. Well enjoy and please feel free to leave any comment and or suggestions.

Welcome to my world. I have been away living, L-I-V-I-N actually, but now I’m back and willing to write about. For those of you who are new and not familiar with my slightly skewed perspective of seeing and experiencing life let me offer a warning. This site will most definitely include blood red meat, savory sauces, descriptions and antics of my crazy friends, unprofessional looking photographs, tales of indulgence in wine, beer, spirits, dancing, and life in general. This list does not exclude the discussion of such important things like family, golf, foraging, current events, swimming, music, literature, etc. etc. Well enjoy and please feel free to leave any comment and or suggestions.