Visitors to the YMCA enjoyed sampling all the soups at the YMCA or taking a container of their choice to enjoy at home. A select group of judges at each YMCA Center location sampled all the entries and chose the winning recipes.

Brenda Abrahamson took the honors of Grand Champion in Sturgeon Bay with her Chili. Amy Stephens captured a first for her Wild Rice Mushroom Turkey, Carly Sarkis second with her Chicken Dumpling and Cindy Livingston third with Brett Favre Chili.  People’s choice award in Sturgeon Bay went to Steve Wisniewski at Door County Memorial Hospital for his Lobster Bisque.

Northern Door Staff await hungry Soupers... photo by Brynn Swanson

Northern Door YMCA’s first place winner was Janice Thomas from the Savory Spoon with a French Lentil with Root Vegetables, second place went to Todd Bennett from the Chefs Hat for his Black Bean Andouille Sausage with Wild Rice and third place was Audrey Grasse with a Roasted Squash with Apple Soup.

Special thanks to the dozens of soup chefs and servers who helped make the Souper Stars Challenge possible.  All proceeds from the chili cook-offs will go towards the 2010 Door County YMCA Strong Kids Campaign.

The Strong Kids Campaign is the annual campaign to provide funds for scholarships and affordable programs “for all” in Door County regardless of age or financial need.  In 2009, the community helped the Door County YMCA raise $400,450 to support this program.  The goal for the 2010 campaign is $410,000.

Every good baker will tell you that the rolling pin is one the most important keys to successful baking. Sweetie Pies agrees! After 15 years of pie-making, they are by far one of the best. That’s why they are putting on their 4^th Annual “High Roller” contest.

Your mission is to make the best original and creative rolling pin! Entries may be submitted starting on April 2 and until May 3. Work will be displayed in the shop for the entire summer from May 7 through October. Voting will be open to the public through August and the winners will be chosen and announced on Labor Day Weekend.

After the contest, entries will be sold via silent auction. For more info on entering the contest, just visit Sweetie Pies, located in the Settlement shops just south of Fish Creek.

On January 28, 2010 Door County Style Magazine reported the good news that Women’s Employment Project, Inc. (WEP) was awarded funding from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to continue the Door County Transportation Options Program (DCTOP) in 2010.

Door-Tran Mobility Manager, Pam Busch says,”On Wednesday, February 10, Applebee’s will donate 15% of the guest check to Door-Tran and the Door County Transportation Options Program. Print and bring the flyer with you when you dine in or call ahead and carry out. Please, tell everyone you know – help spread the word!”

Click for a menu… from Sturgeon Bay Applebee’s.

Click for Flyer

The flyer must be presented to validate your endorsement.
Just print this flyer and bring it along…

Jesika

T.Ashwell’s is recently celebrated the return of the restaurant’s popular Mediterranean weekend in January. All-you-can-eat buffet with two belly-dancing shows accompanied the meal.

The Ellison Bay restaurant opens its kitchen space to the public on these evenings, with the buffet being served by candlelight within the kitchen area. The fare consists of over 25 classic Mediterranean foodstuffs, including Moroccan-spiced crab cakes with cilantro dressing, tabbouleh, lamb kebabs, baklava, Persian lamb & rice meatballs, baba ghanoush, and hummus.

The themed entertainment for the evenings is led by Andrea Nikoupolis-Weliky and the Kaheena Belly Dance Troupe. The group is based out of Door, Brown, and Kewaunee counties, and will be performing a variety of dances with an emphasis on belly and sword dances.

Chef Tom Smith

Mediterranean Night marked its 10th year, and offers a way for locals and visitors to the peninsula get together for a great evening of food and entertainment during the winter. “Some of my customers tell me that this is the weekend they wait for all year,” says Tom Smith, chef and owner of T.Ashwell’s. “It’s also great way for the kitchen to show off its culinary skills.”

The price for Mediterranean Night is $29 per person, and does not include drinks or gratuity. Reservations are strongly encouraged as all three evenings fill up quickly.

T.Ashwell’s is located at 11976 Mink River Road in Ellison Bay. The restaurant’s menu changes frequently and concentrates on American/Ethnic cuisine, with an emphasis on using local and organic ingredients. T. Ashwell’s is open for dinner during the winter months Thursday through Saturday beginning at 5:30 pm. The restaurant will close for the season in late February. For more information or to make a reservation, please call 920.854.4306 or visit www.tashwells.com.

Complete episode available at www.DoorCounty.com/podcast.

Bryan Bradley

This special event, hosted at Mission Grille at 10627 North Bay Shore Drive in Sister Bay, is a benefit for HELP of Door County, Inc.. Mission Grille has been chosen by Gourmet Magazine as one of the top twelve restaurants in Wisconsin and is a recipient of the North American Restaurant Association Award of Excellence. Their Chef, Bryan Bradley, and his staff prepare all food from scratch using the finest and freshest ingredients — locally grown when available. An Evening with a Mission involves a decadent five-course meal including appetizers, soup, salad, entrée and dessert.

The meal will be accompanied by wines selected by local wine enthusiast, Arvid Munson. An Evening with a Mission will take place on Wednesday, January 20 starting at 6 pm with tickets available at $125 per person.

Enjoy a fun, social, relaxing Evening with a Mission while supporting HELP of Door County in its efforts to eliminate domestic abuse. Secure your space today by calling HELP at 920.743.8785.

The Hollands!

The concert is a free event and open to the public from 12 pm until 2 pm. Glas is located at 67 East Maple St. Suite B, Sturgeon Bay, in the new Cellcom Building. The Hollands! comprised of Jana and Craig Holland, craft handmade music with an gypsy folk-rock blend. Weaving poetic yet ground-level lyrics with brawny rhythms, their message is both visionary and authentic.

The Hollands! call Door County their home away from home are eager to come back to perform for the Door County community, which they say has been instrumental in their development as artists and musicians. Craig Holland, a native of Melbourne, Australia, began his music career playing punk and hardcore, including a seven-year stint in Ballydowse, a Chicago-based Celtic punk band recorded by famed Indie producer Steve Albini.

Craig joined Jana in 2007 and they began developing their unique sound, performing first at the Door Community Auditorium. Jana Holland is a spirited songstress. She sets the mood and engages the mind with vocals that are delicate and haunting. Jana’s sound can be rustic when she combines the strumming of the banjo or mandolin.

The afternoon is sure to engage and inspire. Come enjoy a little Sunday Afternoon delight. Relax, savor a meal and fantastic organic music. For more information visit www.glascoffee.com

To learn more about The Hollands! and to preview their unique sound, visit www.thehollands.org.

The following video features Phil Passen on hammered dulcimer with Andy Coulson on banjo, Tad Gilster on guitar, Tony Gebauer on mandolin, and Rick Gordon on bass in a concert appearance at the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek in February, 2007.

Phil is one of the few musicians who sings while accompanying themselves on the intriguing hammered dulcimer – an instrument whose name means “beautiful song.” Recognized as one of the finest hammered dulcimer players in the Midwest, Phil plays and sings traditional old-time American and Celtic music (the soulful roots of Bluegrass and country).

With rhythmic playing on fast tunes and sensitive playing on slow numbers, Phil’s music often elicits the word “soothing.” And though it may seem contradictory, listeners also dub the music “happy” and “bouncy” as they tap their feet to the beat.

Phil recently played for 500 people at Border’s State Street store in Chicago for Maeve Binchy’s only U.S. autographing. He also frequently performs for the Chicago Department of Aviation’s tourist programs at O’Hare Airport, where travelers frequently thank him for providing pleasure on a stressful day.

Among his upcoming performances are school and library programs on “Literature, Music, and the Sinking of the Titanic,” “Music from Carl Sandburg’s American Songbag,” and “Music of the Civil War.”

Phil’s newest CD, with guitarist Tom Conway, is Cold Frosty Morning: Christmas and Winter Holiday Music. The CD features beautiful melodies such as Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and What Child Is This along with old favorites such as My Dreidl and Jingle Bell Rock.

Swinging on a Gate: Traditional American and Celtic Music, Phil’s first CD, was a “most popular” choice on Amazon.com and is now in its second pressing. The old-time American and Celtic dance and fiddle tunes include Twin Sisters, Bonaparte’s Retreat, Miss MacLeod’s Reel, and John Ryan’s Polka.

At Joe Jo’s, Phil will include lots of familiar and not-so-familiar Christmas and winter holiday music with his regular repertoire of traditional American and Irish music.

Joe Jo’s Pizza and Gelato is located at the north enf of Ephraim…
10420 Water Street North (click for map).

The Spelling Bee

After a month of successful spelling bee contests in November, The Cookery’s weekly spelling bee continues in December. Spelling bee competitions will now be held on Saturday nights starting December 5 and run through January 2. Contestants should be signed up to participate by 7 p.m. with the competition starting at 7:30 p.m.

“We don’t want any ringers coming in here,” chuckles Cookery owner Dick Skare, “So, this spelling bee is strictly an adults-only event.”

Gift cards and vouchers for the restaurant and wine bar will be awarded to the top three finishers. The wine bar will also offer a $10 beer and burger special that evening in addition to the regular wine bar menu. Participation is not required to attend.

Feed My People, Clothe My People began operations in 1982 through the efforts of Bev Hogan, Bev Knutson and Rev. Burke Johnson, first located in the Sturgeon Bay Moravian Church.

They eventually grew and migrated to the old YMCA building formerly on 5th Avenue. When the old YMCA was eventually demolished, the programs were forced to split and move to two separate locations, neither of which was adequate.

Initially the program was designed to meet only emergency needs. As the number of residents in need of food and clothing increased, the scope of service was expanded and the Board of Directors began to look for a permanent home to bring their programs back together under one roof.

After an exhaustive search, the Board purchased the old skating rink building at 204 N. 14th Avenue in Sturgeon Bay. With a few bequests and donations specifically designated for permanent relocation as down payment, they were able to secure a mortgage. The new building opened for business in July of 2000.

In summer of 2004, Feed My People of Door County joined Second Harvest, a national food distribution center that sells food to community pantries at far below market prices. On August 31, 2004, thanks to a generous donation, the mortgage on the new building was officially retired.
While administering to the needs of the less fortunate remains the prime concern, fundraising efforts are always a major part of organization’s ongoing agenda.

Each year The Knights of Columbus lends a hand by hosting the annual Indoor Packers Tailgate Party, sponsored to benefit Feed My People. This year the event takes place at the Sister Bay Bowl on Sunday, December 13, starting at 10 am. Kick off for the Packer vs Bears game that day is at noon. A $10 admission includes all you can eat chili, brats, BBQ brisket, dessert and more. There will be Packer pools, an auction and Spin the Wheel for added fun.

This event takes place thanks to the generosity of additional sponsors including Flanigan Distributing, Main Street Market, the AC Tap, Sister Bay Bowl and the Sister Bay Piggly Wiggly. Your attendance and support will fill the roster for a winning and entertaining event.
In addition, please consider donating food, clothes, or financially supporting your local community through Feed and Clothe My People’s programs. You can also find bargains at their Thrift Store, open Mondays and Thursdays from 3 – 7 pm and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 am ‘til 2 pm. You will find a full display of quality clothing along with a variety of small household items such as lamps, dishes, art work, and jewelry all sold at very low prices. Learn more online at www.FeedMyPeopleDoorCounty.org or call 920.743.9053 with any questions.