Irish foods, seafood, maple syrup and more things to know in Milwaukee food and drink news this week
Sprecher expanding green soda in time for St. Patrick's Day
Sprecher Brewery is expanding distribution of its Green River soda in Wisconsin, and the 12-ounce glass bottles and 1-liter bottles are now available at Woodman’s as well as at the Sprecher gift shop, 701 W. Glendale Ave.
The emerald green soda was created in Iowa in 1916 by the owner of an ice cream shop and soda fountain, and in 1919 the recipe was sold to a Chicago brewery looking for non-alcoholic beverages to sell during the prohibition era. Last year Sprecher Brewery acquired Green River, which is popular on St. Patrick’s Day in floats and blended into foods to create bright green coloring. For cocktail recipes using Green River soda, visit sprecherbrewery.com
Corned beef and cabbage
Apple Holler will serve Irish foods in March in the Red Barn Restaurant at 5006 S Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant.
A traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner ($15.97) is served with parsley buttered red potatoes, honey glazed carrots and rye bread; and a corned beef rueben ($12.97) has seasoned corned beef with apple sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing on rye.
Three pot pies are available, served with honey glazed carrots and cranberry orange relish. A Guinness and beef pot pie ($10.49); i the corned beef and cabbage pot pie ($11.49); and the corned beef rueben pot pie ($11.49).
The menu is available for dine-in or carry-out from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Visit appleholler.com
Seafood specials for Lent
Every Friday in March through April 8, the Lowlands Group of restaurants will offer an expanded menu of fish and seafood specials.
The Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club will feature a fish (haddock or perch) fried in a Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter beer batter. Café Hollander’s classic fish fry will feature haddock battered in High-Speed Wit, a Belgian white beer, with flavors of orange, lemon and yeast. Centraal Grand Café & Tappery is serving Harissa Haddock, pan-seared, with coconut harissa and sweet friets, cucumber salad and chutney creme. And Café Benelux has a jerk shrimp pasta of blackened shrimp, tomatoes, spinach, yellow peppers, fettuccine pasta, creamy jerk sauce and a toasted baguette. See the full list of menus at lowlandsgroup.com
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Maple syrup March madness
Maple Syrup Month in Wisconsin runs from March 15 to April 15, and events are held throughout the state to highlight pure maple syrup as a natural alternative to refined sugar. Welcome the coming of spring and learn about maple syrup production at these local events:
The Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, at 1111 E. Brown Deer Road, is holding events throughout March that discuss the history and significance of maple sugaring, maple tree identification, and how maple sap turns into syrup. Visit the website for the full list of events. schlitzaudubon.org/event/
The Friends of Wehr Nature Center, at 9701 W. College Ave. in Franklin, will host their annual Maple Sugar Days from noon to 4 p.m. March 19 and 20. The program includes a short walk to the sugarbush, a visit to an old-time sugarin’ camp, a boil-down demonstration and stories about the Native American origins of maple sugaring. Everyone will receive a pancake with Wisconsin maple syrup. Other maple treats, along with tapping equipment, will be on sale in the Nature Store. $10 per person; children ages 2 and under are free. There is a $4 per car parking fee for non-members. Pre-purchased tickets are required. friendsofwehr.org/events/
The Richfield Historical Society will hold a Maple Syrup Family Day at Richfield Nature/Historical Park, 1896 State Road 164, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 26. Watch the entire syrup process from tree tapping to evaporating. Maple syrup and maple syrup cotton candy will be available for purchase. New this year is a breakfast of unlimited pancakes and real maple syrup, served with three sausages and a beverage from 9 to 11 a.m. for $6 per person. For more information visit richfieldhistoricalsociety.org
Racine’s River Bend Nature Center, at 3600 N. Green Bay Road, will hold two “Sugarin’ Off” pancake breakfasts from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 20 and 27. Before or after breakfast, take a self-guided tour into the sugarbush to see how sugar maple trees are tapped, and how the sap is reduced to syrup in the wood-burning evaporator. Pancakes will be served with Wisconsin maple syrup, and the breakfast includes sausage, orange juice, coffee, tea or milk. $10 adult; $7 child 10 and under; child under 3 is free. Advance ticket purchase is required. (262) 639-1515; www.RiverBendRacine.org
Saukville’s Riveredge Nature Center, 4458 County Highway Y, taps over 400 maple trees with a Maple Sugarin’ Shindig on March 19 and an outdoor pancake breakfast on April 2. The Shindig is held in two sessions, 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 to 2 p.m., and includes a scavenger hunt and tour, which concludes with a visit to the Sugarbush House. Prices range from $10 to $35 per family. The pancake breakfast has seatings at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. or noon on April 2. It is an all-you-can-eat affair held in the Sugarbush, so dress for the weather. Adult $15; child $13, and a child 3 and under is admitted free. Register online for all events at riveredgenaturecenter.org.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know this week in Milwaukee food and drink news
