WISCONSIN - Pie #49 of 50 - America’s Dairyland - Brian Kaspr
State Fruit: Cranberry
State Grain: Corn
State Pastry: Kringle
I have been to Wisconsin!
There was a time in the last couple years that I was exploring the idea of leaving New York (Stacey c’mon!). I got recruited for a job at Land’s End located in Dodgeville, WI. They flew me out for the interview and I got to spend the weekend exploring Madison. This gave me a chance to see if I could picture myself living there. I looked at apartments, went on a long hike at Devil’s Lake, got delicious food from Willy Street Co Op, a mini cheese plate from Fromagination and had one of the best ham and cheese croissants I’ve ever had at Batch bakehouse. So as the story goes I turned the job down because deep inside I knew that I wasn’t done with New York and New York wasn’t done with me. While I was there though I did get romanticized by the idea of living there. Wisconsin is the dairy capital of the United States and even though I am lactose untalented I was charmed by every curd that I ate.
The pie for this state is a cranberry pie with a cornmeal crust and Bucky Badger fried cheese curds on top!
The cranberry was designated the state fruit in 2003. This came about because of a class project by fifth grade students from Trevor Grade School in Kenosha County, WI. They decided that the cranberry, rather than the cherry, was the best candidate for Wisconsin’s state fruit. Wisconsin leads the nation in cranberry production, accounting for over half of the nation’s output and are grown primarily in the central part of the state.
Corn was designated the official state grain in 1989. This unlike cranberries came about during a legislative debate. A fight from ear to ear (slow cap for a dad joke). Sponsors claimed designating corn as the state grain would draw attention to its importance as a cash crop. This intern would make people more aware of corn’s many uses.
In 2017, fourth graders at Mineral Point Elementary School in Mineral Point,WI proposed a bill that made cheese the official state dairy product of Wisconsin. 90 percent of the milk produced in the state goes on to become about three billion pounds of cheese. With all that cheese thats a hell of a lot of curds and whey.
The cheese curds on the pie got a little over done because while deep frying. This lady was just having a grand told time drinking Milwaukee’s Champagne of beers, shooting the shit and got a little distracted but overly melty cheese hasn’t hurt no one.
This pie is dedicated to Brian Kaspr of Milwaukee, WI. I met Brian through Kickstarter in 2015. I backed his demolition derby campaign to send a 1986 Caprice that he painted “Cry Cry Cry” on to the automobile afterlife and then again in person at a Baggu event. I still have the pouch he painted for me at that event. It’s still holding strong after 6 years!
Brian was one of the first people to know about my pie project. I reached out to him asking if he would be interested in doing the branding, state titles and if it was a good idea in the fires place. Basically after a few emails we were like LFG!!!! He’s been on this journey with me since day one. I also have Brian to thank for introducing me to my sister friend and Delaware pie recipient Steph Stilwell. Wealth in talent and wealth in friendship.
A few years ago Brian started a cocktail club called “The Usual Club” that I am a part of and I can’t wait till our next meeting of themed cocktails and French fries. The booze flows, the tunes are always the jams and the French fries unlimited.
To say Brain is talented would be the understatement of the century. I prefer to call him the king of swoops and loops. Above all things Brian is an incredible friend, cheerleader and support system for me. I couldn’t imagine living, laughing and loving through this project without him.
Wisconsin you are America’s Dairyland.
The people and the heart are always whole and never 2%.
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