Discover Wisconsin: Highlights local foods and culinary destinations

Tourism TV show shines spotlight on Ashland, Dane, Door and Portage counties

WISCONSIN — Guest host Stephanie Klett, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, and the Discover Wisconsin crew crisscrossed the state to visit some of Wisconsin’s top culinary destinations. “Local Foods and Finds: Wisconsin Culinary Tour” airs Jan. 31-Feb. 1 across the Midwest on Discover Wisconsin, the nation’s longest-running tourism TV show. In this episode, Klett and the crew travel to Madison, Door County, Ashland County, Stevens Point and Plover where they visit restaurants, shops, wineries, and farmer’s markets and experience popular Wisconsin food traditions.

“Wisconsin is home to incredible culinary experiences,” said Klett. “Whether dining at a restaurant or visiting a farmer’s market, it’s all a part of how a visitor experiences a destination. Food is fun and it brings people together, which are what vacations are all about.”

Highlights from Madison include a tour at the Dane County Farmer’s Market, the largest producers-only farmer’s market in the nation, with Market Manager Larry Johnson and local chef Joshua Berkson, co-owner of the award -winning Merchant restaurant. Renowned for its cherry production and fish boils, the Door County segment features Seaquist Orchards and the White Gull Inn, where Master Boiler Tom Christianson demonstrates the traditional fish boil. The eclectic Green Lantern and Speakeasy in Glidden and The Restaurant and Wine Bar on Madeline Island provide a taste of Northern Wisconsin’s restaurant scene. At the Sixth Street Market in Ashland, the art of sausage making is demonstrated by the company’s third generation of proud owners, who produce over 30 varieties of sausages and brats. Other stops include the Fresar Winery and its sister business the Kozy Yak Brewery in Stevens Point, where the owners source their ingredients locally and use renewable energy in the brewing process. Whitefeather Organics and Christian’s Bistro & the Sky Club round out the Portage County segment.

The program will reach more than 500,000 viewers across the upper Great Lakes region, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Northern Illinois and Upper Michigan.

To learn more about the destinations featured, visit http://www.discoverwisconsin.com.

About Discover Wisconsin

As the nation’s longest running tourism program, Discover Wisconsin can be seen statewide on Fox Sports North (FSN) Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. For more on this and other episodes or the broadcast schedule in other areas please visit http://www.discoverwisconsin.com. Connect with Discover Wisconsin on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/discoverwisconsin and Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/discoverwi.