GermanFeast Has Begun

It's been several weeks in the making, but tonight is our first evening of GermanFeast.

I've pasted this evening's menu to give you a flavor of the event.

I can only hope my German translator is working properly and I haven't insulted anyone.

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GermanFeast

February 22^nd.

Salat, Entrée and Dessert  $24.

Salat, choose up to four:

Fleischsalat

Meat Salad

Sellerie Apfel Salat

Celery Root & Apple Salad

Hamburger Heringstöpfchen

Herring and Apples

Chicorée mit Sahne und Zwiebeln

Chicory with Cream and Onions

Weißer Spargel mit Radicchio

 White Asparagus with Radicchio

Kartoffelsalat

Potato Salad

Gurkensalat

 Cucumber Salad

Hauptgericht:

Leberknödelsuppe

Liver Dumpling Soup

Rheinischer Sauerbraten

Rhenish Sauerbraten

Rouladen

Rolled Steak Stuffed with Goodies!

Gedünste Pfannfisch in Dillsauce

Baked Cod in Dill Sauce

Wiener Schnitzel

Pan-fried Rolled Pork

Dessert:

Cherry Bread Pudding

Crepes mit Ligonberries

Crepes with Lingonberries

Blätterteig

Puffed Pastry

Crème Brule

Crème Brule

Bier $5. per bottle:

Hacker Pschorr Weisse

Hacker Pschorr Munich Gold

Warsteiner

St Pauli Girl

Beck’s Non alcoholic

Wein $6. per glass:

Liebfraumilch

FW. Ritzman Piesporter Michelsberg Mosel

Kendermann’s Riesling

Kendermann’s Pinot Noir

The Little Guy's Pro-Am Fishing Tournament Update, Part 2

This evening I had another serious fishing conversation with young Colton (I also got an update on his ice fishing plans). We've settled upon a date....July 23rd-24th. 
We decided to have a second tournament for the older kids, instead of 2 divisions.  We felt that even if we had two divisions, the real little guys might get overshadowed.  I agreed with his observations. 

In addition to his serious knowledge of fishing, young Colton will blow your socks off with his knowledge of dinosaurs.  Have you ever had a 5-year old inform you that dinosaurs were either carnivores or herbivores. I was also informed that I'm an omnivore. I've always thought I was a Democrat!

One would think that as tournament director, I'd have more particulars.  Other than a date, I haven't a clue. As mentioned earlier, I have enlisted support for the tournament from some our our regulars anglers. I've several "thumbs-up" already.

Here is a question to the group, should we allow for fishing on all lakes or just Minocqua Lake? I'm also wondering about simply requiring photo proof.  As I see it, better to release to battle again than ending up in a Zip-Loc bag. 
There is a family story about a fishing show-caught trout that ended up in a plastic bag, left outside by the back door in Grayslake one winter evening. The catch ended up being an essential component of many outdoor winter activities for the remainder of the winter season. And you wonder why my kids might benefit from therapy?

Thoughts from any and all would be appreciated regarding the tournament details.

Matt

The Trails Are Perfect

Just as an FYI, per the riders coming through the restaurant, the trails are in perfect shape.  Every morning when I left the house in the morning this week, I had to brush off overnight snow accumulation.  Even though it is only Thursday, there's a good amount of lake traffic in front of the restaurant. The temperature during the day is now in the high teens and low 20's.

I anticipate we'll be running Super Bowl specials similar to the ones we ran for the championship games last Sunday. Instead of the Chicago vs. Wisconsin theme, I think we will be going with simply, "Great Game, Great Food.

Loop Around the Lake Event

This sounds like a really fun event and one people should consider.  It is a family event (as opposed to competitive) that will occur on February 5th. Participants will start out at the Thirsty Whale, pass Matt Morgan's and continue around the lake, ending again at the Thirsty Whale.

The entire course is 5 K, entirely on the lake (see picture).  There will be 3 bonfires along the course (AquaBowl, The Cove and The Beacons).  There will be 1,000 luminaries marking the course. Facilities will be available throughout the course.  It will occur after 4:30, so it should be a visually memorable experience.

Proceeds from the event will go to the 2 educational foundations associated with the two school districts in the area. Each student is doing one of the luminaries, hence the 1,000+ on the course.  It should be a great time.

http://looparoundthelake.com/

NFL Championship Sunday

The day started great.  We had the ads, the food was ordered and in the house, and the beer was cold.  Around 40 people enjoyed the game at the restaurant.  The food specialities were well received.  We did have a heated debate over the appropriateness of Ketchup on a Chicago dog.  Fortunately it was between a married couple, so there wasn't any police involvement.  We had a great group up from Elk Grove Village.

Several of the Matt Morgan's staff held down several tables and were quite civil considering the game's outcome.  After the game I received 3 calls from non-attending staff (all within a minute or two after the last snap).

Today we've been slow, but those in attendance have been pleased.  We had a delightful couple with Stoughton connections for dinner. Turns out they are both life-long Rhinelander residents and knew Kathleen's Uncle Tony and Aunt Dolly.  It was a great conversation.

Article in the Rhinelander paper

Matt Cullen, a lifelong Bears fan and owner of Matt Morgan’s Restaurant in Minocqua, is used to choosing sides when it comes to sports. In his neck of the woods, it comes with the territory.

“Coming out of Chicago, there are forced allegiances from the beginning. You’re either Sox fan or a Cubs fan, so this picking sides thing is nothing new to me,” he said, adding that the first question he was asked when he moved to Wisconsin was whether he was a Bears fan or a Packers fan.
Cullen is not shy about telling people he’s a diehard Bears fan (he worked at Wrigley Field when the Bears played there in the ‘60s and once lived in the same neighborhood as Mike Ditka) but he says he doesn’t actively dislike the Packers and would be willing to root for them in the Super Bowl. In the meantime, he is busy cooking up some special treats for Sunday’s epic NFC Championship clash.

Matt Morgan’s will sport a special $2 appetizer menu for game day that celebrates the best foods of both Wisconsin and Chicago. The theme is “us versus them.”

Patrons will be able to choose Chicago-style Vienna hot dogs or Johnsonville brats. Deep fried Wisconsin pepperjack cheesecurds or Italian beef sliders, Goose Island beer (a craft beer brewed in Chicago) or Wisconsin’s classic Leinenkugel’s.

Since by 6 p.m, half of the crowd won’t be very happy, Cullen is also offering “crying towels” at no charge.

“I was tempted to say Green and Gold crying towels, no charge, but I’m smart enough to know that since I’m not playing in the game, I can’t affect the outcome, so I don’t want to infuriate the people too much,” Cullen adds.

Cullen said he enjoys all aspects of the rivalry and pointed out there is at least one thing both sides have in common.

“The only thing we know for sure is none of us like Minnesota (Vikings),” he laughed. “We can agree on that common ground, Minnesota is evil and we are good.”

Cullen said he’s making sure there is plenty of appetizers and beer on hand for the big game.

“I don’t want to be in a position for someone to say ‘he welched on his deal,’” he said.
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The Big Game is Underway

I'm back add to the blog.  Apparently I really goofed up my login and password.
This is the ad we ran in last Friday's paper.  I am typing as the game goes on and if the first series is any indication of the game....well let's just say that I'll be serving crow for some time.

I do know that the people upstairs are having a good time with the food.  The dogs are coming out of the kitchen hog and well-dressed.  We cooked the brats in Guinness, so I can't be accused of tilting the scales towards the dogs.

We have copies of the Chicago Bears Fight Song lyrics and have also posted a sign indicating that if you have travel plans this coming week it's 205 miles from Chicago to Green Bay and 969 miles from Chicago to Dallas (Super Bowl site).

I just received another update....Green Bay 14, Chicago 0.  This is starting to look ugly.

Back later.