And where are the best non-municipal and lesser-known little nooks and crannies to see the big stuff in Hudson at the Friday fireworks, getting away from the crowds and the parking hassles? (Check out your mobile device for this information while you are looking for a spot? Or you might miss the show completely?) The short but a bit decorative metal bridge/walkway that goes over a driveway for delivery trucks, between the parking lot just north of the municipal building and the strip of businesses along Locust Street. And you might even try the sidewalk at the intersection of Locust and Second streets, as the streetscape is lower (I got a great photo there one year for the local paper). We watch the fireworks in our yard on Cherry Circle North, that’s right as they can be seen all the way from North Hudson, at a vantage point near the cul de sac and above the block-away tree line where there are gaps, and we would think there are also other such opportunities around the area, taking in the flicker of the lights among the leaves and above them. And of course, if you can endure the short walk that might be needed and get right to the main party zone ahead of time, you can hit the rooftop bar at Mallory’s, or the high decks at the Smilin’ Moose and if you can get further into the downtown, two new places for this year, Hudson Tap and Ziggy’s, which has expanded its music offerings even more for the even longer than typical long holiday — going last Tuesday through Monday, six full days, in the afternoon or evening — which is something even for them!
— Here is a Blue Ribbon idea pitched by the people at Pabst; mostly the guys. They have opened their American Pinup Series on their cans, with a red-brown haired girl in blue shorts, a red and white striped top and bright red shoes. Red, White and Blue specials have followed at area bars, grills and liquor stores..
— Buffalo Wild Wings has done it again as far as World Cup soccer, offering specials on an American beer (Bud and Bud Light), around the times of an all-American holiday to cheer on an American soccer team, which will be televised in all their games at BW3, as my bud calls it, maybe because of having a few too many buds, but he had to hurry. The price of their tall cans is dropped to $3 when USA wins. Take that, American-style football.
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Where to go to see the sky light up? Maybe try the little places that rise up above the rest
July 6th, 2019The festival to celebrate this country is strong on country, music that is, as a perfect seven bands in total take the stage at Booster Days
July 4th, 2019Its strong on country, as you might expect, and as far as the numbers game, the music groups are seven in total, and steer away from the soloists and duets that have been popular for largely cost reasons for a few years at many local venues. But Booster Days 2019, like other years, is played at the spacious Lakefront Park band shell, a far cry from the summer patio scene, so you’ll see a lot of five-member lineups, with the Sunday finale breaking from that course: The music starts Thursday, on July Fourth itself, and runs through Sunday.
The lineup includes The Chubs and Yam Haus on Thursday evening, Bigly and Stone Daisy Band on Friday, Wicked Garden and Rhino on Saturday, and Miller Denn and Ditch Creek Dixies on Sunday, at 1:30 p.m. The rest of the bands start at 5 p.m. if they are the introductory group, and 9 p.m. if they headline.
This Fourth holiday should come first:
One of the main sponsors of Booster Days and its music, the number of bands of which is even greater than usual because of the Thursday timing of the July Fourth holiday, is the Family Fresh market and grocery store on Coulee Road. They say they feel such backing of the local community through festivals such as these is vital, especially these days when some view the times as somewhat tumultuous and so being patriotic as Americans is all the more important. That is why it is even more crucial to take some time and fully celebrate the holiday that marks our freedom.
Family Fresh can help toward that end, by supplying you with items that help make things festive to go along with the music, such as inexpensive but prime cuts of steak to grill, not to mention ground beef and hot dogs that are also very affordable and are in packs that will keep everyone happy, no matter the size of your party. Plus, you’ve hardly walked in the door and you can see great prices on specialty brats and hot dog buns, lots of condiment options to put on them, various chips, and even everything you need for S’Mores if having a fire pit up at the cabin, (with festive flags positioned all through the display). And at the enclosed Caribou Coffee store off the the right side, you can get your growler and with it comes a free refill of any size, plus an additional price off you’re seniors (if you’re treating granddad and grandma on this holiday, as they have seen the many ways our patriotism has played out positively over the decades, as they love all this food and drink stuff, too).
The Boosters bring it, and busta move:
The bands at Booster Days are, two each day except Sunday, in order of appearance:
— The Chubs call themselves a cohesive group of classic rock musicians from different generations, who play a wide variety of styles in that genre and beyond, which is what you want when trying to reach a broad audience such as at Booster Days. And they wander well into Cheesehead country with their performances, way beyond the Booster Days turf, so they know what we like here.
— The Chubs are followed up by local and regional rockers Yam Haus, a group of young artists who took The Valley and its festivals, especially in summer, by storm a couple of years ago and have been building a loyal, local following through frequent gigs in the Hudson area, mostly, and beyond. A combo of classic and closer-to-current rock that’s not unecessarily hard, although there might be a long Deep Purple solo mixed in. The onstage banter can be very entertaining, and wittier than you might expect from such a young crew.
— The members of Bigly came to this point after service in various previous bands in the region and they play all different styles of tunes, up to and including funk and soul. Like Rhino, they have a sense of humor, as is shown by their online bio that references some disco songs in their mix, then backs off it, saying they are just joking. But they seriously get after their funk interpretation of Sweet Child of Mine by Guns ‘N’ Roses.
— The Stone Daisy Band is through and through country, traditional and vintage, modern and slightly crossover, and all sorts of tunes that touch upon the genre. For example, just know that the first song listed on their set list is La Grange by ZZ Top. Also, the drummer has been up and down and around with various acts. (And the band’s main web site photo looks like it could have been taken in virtually any farm field in western Wisconsin).
— Wicked Garden gets more specific with its sound, down and dirty and gritty, covering the grunge power groups that filled the top 100 charts in the 1990s, such as Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots (hence the band name) and Alice in Chains. They also cover several grunge-influenced bands from today, such as Tool, Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age.
— Lots of bands say they are high energy, but if longevity is any measure, Rhino truly brings it. That quality, and a sense of just plain fun, is demonstrated by their “everyman” band photos online, one of which shows a member — their are five of them, like many groups at Booster Days 2019 — blowing bubble gum. I guess they can walk, play and chew gum at the same time. The guy in the Aussie-look black hat has always been cool.
— Miller Denn joins the Ditch Creek Dixies to wrap up the fest, and they steer more toward the traditional country, and that painting of a big steer in the background of a main photo shows you what you’re getting. The look of the costuming by the two blonde haired “Dixies,” who must be simply in their teens or just past, bears this out.
Grand savings (three ways) and service are still there, via Venture Fireworks just east of the city of Hudson, (three miles), as a way to put the grand in Grand Old Day or before, even if you can relate to the musician Lo-Cash
June 30th, 2019The finale to buy fireworks in Hudson is coming near, and if you like the musician find yourself with Lo-Cash to spend, Venture Fireworks just off of Exit 4, only three miles into Wisconsin on Interstate 94, is the place for you — in multiple ways.
Patrons of Venture Fireworks can take a 5 percent discount for each of the following: (1) Paying in cash, (2) Buying if you are in the military or a veteran, and (3) Buying if you say you saw the content of the advertisement at an area venue, which might not always be right along the everyday beaten path and includes places like Woody’s in Bayport. You can find the information you need all over the vicinity.
But wait, there’s more, you can take all those discounts at once, if applicable, for essentially a total of 15 percent off. And all these amenities are easily handled at Venture because of their proper level of staffing, members of which are drawn straight from homegrown Wisconsin, so they can meet your needs quickly, knowledgably and with a smile. You don’t always get that at a big box store. And Venture Fireworks is open to 9 p.m., for when the sun sets.
Fireworks state-by-state laws, (forget Iowa), and their stores, come and go right now that the Fourth is near, and they can do a service to society (bright vs. blight)
June 30th, 2019Blow up no more stuff!! Enuf said, in a huff. Or not:
(And while we’re at it, in different departments on this web site, I’d Venture a guess that there’s still a best buy to be had, with great service, at a nice local fireworks shop; and for those public servants who hit Kwik Trip and make sure no one bends the rules too far, not only a doughnut day but also National Smoothie Day. Yeah!)
— A longtime fireworks store between Houlton and Somerset will close its doors Forever, (pardon me, as that’s the name of one of their main competitors), and they are currently having a “fire sale” of sorts to get rid of their last inventory. The owner said the strategy has been so successful that all items will probably be gone before the Fourth even arrives. Going out with guns ablazing. And would he reopen somewhere else, like the Big Box stores do to try to build an empire of sorts? No way, he said, as he’s been around this game with his store for 40 years now and this (now former) job can burn you out.
— There has been scant little progress to move ahead with getting that tiny shack, or what’s left of it, basically a basement that’s mostly dirt, completely torn down. The project has bogged down in the past few weeks, which is interesting because we are coming up on a holiday that could conceivably — and jokingly — fix the problem. Across the street, when years ago I did a photo feature for the local paper on the option of setting off in-your-yard fireworks displays rather than taking in the downtown shootfest and its troubles with parking and getting a seat, a centerpiece was a shot. Again, it was across the street — of an amped up sparkler system in someone’s driveway. Maybe turn the nozzle, if it has one and it works that way, 90 degrees, have it point directly southward and torch what’s left of the eyesore? Doubt it would get anywhere near the insurance deductible. Maybe that is the same with the thick haze (none of it purple, except for Deep Purple, see below) across Second Street, we assume from potent off-shoots, that made traffic slow almost a week before The Big Thing. We think the same thing could occur in the old-tree woods south of Hudson Hospital, where there always seems to be some very bright and large-scale shoot-offs, the best the law will allow for fireworks. And infant care is available only a few hundreds yards away. Come On Baby Light My Fire.
— Every fireworks Fourth when the city of Hudson shoots off from Lakeview Park, the St. Croix River is filled with hundreds of boats on the sides of both states, to view our local version of Smoke On The Water. Do any of them make it over to the Bungalow Inn in Lakeland afterwards — as there’s karaoke virtually every weekend but shooting off fireworks in Minnesota is very dicey from a legal standpoint — or do they stay in Hudson? “We get a smattering of people. But after the fireworks they all go back home to light things off,” said a longtime server at The Bungalow.
— If you missed mother’s day and father’s day to get your game on with them, here’s a suggestion to make it up to them, as everyone loves fireworks, even though mom would require that you pull out all the stops to make sure they are legal. For every major (or not so major) holiday, Greyhound busline has deep specials to enable you to go see the folks and bring them something fun as a hostess gift, more so then the proverbial cheesecake, even if you are the King of Lo-Cash, (see the Picks of the Week Department for another take on that musician). AND NOW THE DISCLAIMER: HudsonWiNightlife makes no representations, whether stated, implied, run past all of the glut of local attorneys, hinted at, alluded to, or made teasing fun with, about what items you can and can’t take on a bus. Check that out yourself, and we hope its not as confusing as all the legalities of what you can possess, shoot off, transfer over the bridge in your ever-popular-riding-purpose Segue, carry in your pocket, tuck behind your ear, buy an extra big purse for, etc., concerning the different rules for fireworks in each of the Border Battle states. Can Iowa take advantage of this?
— Lastly, before the 75th anniversary of D-Day becomes the 76th and gets far less attention, then wait around for the huge blowout of remembrance that will certainly happen at the century mark, a local man who hangs out at Dick’s and can’t be more than in his early 30s has his own D-Day experience, this being in 2003 and meaning that this is a 16th anniversary. He was part of an elite sniper team that took out not the likes of bin Laden, but someone almost as dangerous, but only after needing to wait for the right time and being camped out for days in snowy below zero temperatures. Guess that wasn’t Iran or Iraq.The pedestrian walkways in front of the Smilin’ Moose have been painted with two bright White Stripes. Prior to this, with the fact that people of all ages just wander into the street and hope drivers will stop, you needed to be a Great White Shark, or Great White Band, to be seen. This counters the fact that some stupid people venturing across at night are wearing all black, the later the night the darker the color tone.
The Space Race should rocket you straight to Hop ‘N Barrel, or at least the almost dozen places locally you can buy their brews, (although not as far as Russia, to avoid drunken collusion)
June 28th, 2019Hop to it, and roll out the barrel, here there and everywhere:
— The Hop ‘N Barrel brewery brand name is everywhere you look, as they have cornered the local cross-marketing market, incorporating those not quite dozen letters into a read-out on drink coasters, and various types of signs on walls, and tap beer handles all over Hudson area bars and other venues bearing barrels. They even were the only local company to advertise far beyond the downtown via their stated main choice of publicity, social media, in a big City Pages special section on the top 40, not music, but metro region beers. (Just to note, Lift Bridge Brewing in Stillwater was mentioned twice, both near the middle of that CP ranking of 40, and Surly even more often with its most popular brand, Furious, fighting its way onto the list largely because of its versatility, as it can be ordered in various Hudson and River Falls taverns. So why all the fuss over, specifically for its brews, Hop ‘N Barrel, crafted in its Second Street building with a door filled with comic banter about its events that include periodic music, positioned close to the back, and a sign steering you that way where the front door should be? They may include the taste of something that might be considered a two-state Space Cowboy, not Furious but named Space Force and featuring an astronaut/alien looking straight outta not Compton but Iron Maiden, with mouth tenacles that remind one of Adult Swim? Or similar Eddie-like beasts in their Minnesconsin brand, on either side of a rendition of The River. Both beers are hawked on the big glass windows leftover from a time when this was an auto dealership, but don’t drink and drive (to other venues that hawk these colorful but gnarly Neon Knights). Maybe go in to Hop ‘N Barrel itself and take it and its brews by storm (troopers)?
— Not to be forgotten at Ziggy’s on Saturday night is another colorful creation of sound that is more than just the blues, Blue Dream. (Not to be confused with my St. Paul friend Debbie’s band, Blue Hue, with music that has as much variety as all colors of the rainbow, but more popular on The Continent). “Squeeze,” to name another band, into this mix, “Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, Saturday night’s all right,” the Rocket Man movie tribute to Elton John. And a more current tune, phrased “Oh, its Saturday night.” You just gotta see this flick mid-weekend, maybe in Debbie’s area, (she’s also a model/sometimes actress). Along with taking in the other events around the same timing in our local area.
— But also move beyond that whatchamacallit band name, Fiddlefarkenfoe, at Urban Olive and Vine again a Saturday ago, as there is a new such band taking the stage still tonight, that being Thursday, at the Hudson band shell a block away at Lakefront Park.They specialize in what they call high-energy bluegrass and, fittingly, are called Pickin’ Up Steam. Frankly, like another folksy favorite, Locomotive Breath?
Be smokin’ with your blues guitar, to bring on the heat with Old Red, the dog in that old country song. Re: That blue tick hound could use a scrub down
June 21st, 2019Go on the road with your guitar, but don’t put on the dog, just be inventive:
— The Northwoods Blues Fest in Chippewa Falls that plays all weekend will hang its hat on Howard “Guitar” Luedtke, at least as far as Hudson is concerned. This area man with strong local ties is on stage near the end of Friday evening’s concert slate. Another recently occurring regional festival, in outstate Minnesota, features another local musician, Devin Worley. (We’re not giving it as prominent a billing as the Chippewa affair, because its a hike to get there, although that backroads and backwoods appeal might just be part of the draw).
— You can spray down your dog, rather than quaff down a water, because hopefully they’re lucky enough to be spayed, but before that down a Lucky Dog beer at Dick’s. The double liquid reference is for a dog wash on the other side of the street on June 23 that gets going around noon and goes to about 4 p.m. and benefits a number of services related to canine causes, especially to aid those who have been in the wild. And you can always engage a llama on the side.
— The Michael Handler Project is projecting its — their term — inventive acoustic music to the audience at Urban Olive and Vine as we speak. That would be inventive, plugging them as they take their first set break, rather than getting it all out in the time frame of a single solo.
— Pabst Blue Ribbon, the draft beer form, is on special at Buffalo Wild Wings for the pro sports drafts that are on tap. Do patrons and personnel directors imbibe before making their ch0ices, especially when they are part of fan draft parties at the place? Maybe that’s why the Brewers and Bucks have sometimes come up on the short end, when they see how their picks actually perform.
— HudsonWiNightlife does try to be healthy, in fact we’re all ears. So they perked up when hearing about the advantages of the services offered by Amdahl Hearing at 411 Stageline Road, which include improved cognitive functioning and overall health, better relationships at home and a stronger ability to maintain balance. Uhm, for our purposes and what we purvey, those would not be the same advantages of having a few beers. With a caveat. There can also be increased feelings of self-worth, but as far as the similarities with beer, have you ever seen a tipsy person who is not into themselves way too much? And maybe we then don’t want to hear them! The last strength is said to be increased satisfaction at work. If that work is as a bartender, that flies as a similarity also. (I must give the folks at Amdahl a shoutout for flowing with my attempt at satire). But one other joke that I hope is worth hearing, from an offer by another company, seen on a flyer at a bar. Its headline read: “Having trouble hearing voices?” Never had a problem with that one — even when the music is loud.
Martha, got any dispensers for sale? From back then, when there was a better market? At last, a last Covid raft of info that’s been in the tank. Stewart, I may not be, but here’s an ode to Easter eats — and not just turkey/chicken and broccoli, turned every which way but loose … Here are the food tips promised.
June 17th, 2019The pandemic is now (officially) at an end. So this is the end of my coverage on it. Or is it?
So here are some Easter eggs (Old School music term) that have remained in the vault, until now:
— What is the ultimate job where social distancing could be a bitch. If you are a stripper and you are trying to get a bit too close without anyone really knowing or telling. Word had it that the Covid rate among patrons in the profession (can I call it that?) was at about 17 percent and thus higher than the norm (just kidding). And I won’t even invoke dentistry, which was curtailed, even moreso, for a time.
— With that said, and the idea of tracking where you have been and if you could have spread the virus, do you you really want the whole world to know everywhere you’ve (frequented) for even sat the last week?
— An old but bad joke from back in the start of the virus and its vanquished, when there were worn masks all over various parking lots from people who had ditched them when the day and its infectious turf changed. Hey, do you need a mask to go into the store? I have one you could borrow.
— At my beloved Kwik Trip convenience store, as I had been told my a military man in the family to always look down when you walk, as through a potential mine field, and I began noticing there was often a quarter or two on the ground right there in front of you. But would they still be there when you got the latest special in a quick trip in, when you got back into the lot to get to your car. Maybe, or not? Depending on the vast financial need brought on by Covid that changed again, by the day, a quarter might stay on the ground at length, but a mere penny snapped up just like that.
— Yes, you might have a kid at home who needs to be schooled there by virtue of the computer. But what if you are not savvy, as a parent, at that type of thing? At WalMart, I saw a new stay-at-home mom of just the wrong era who simply didn’t know all the ins and outs of a still new Internet to get her young daughter off on the right track to do her homework. Case closed for it.
— A friend of mine would bring home extra masks from work for the germ-a-phobe home. Public health duty , you know. He claims this approach was sanctioned by management. With the bosses I have known, I doubt it.
— Lastly, a store had noted time and again, on their door, that they were adhering strictly to the new and newer guidelines brought about by Gov. Evers. Ever’s changing. And Evenflow.
OK, there will still be more of such coming, but I’ll keep it more topical and timely. I don’t call this Blasts From The Past for no good reason.
I am at it again, this time Easter in River Falls. Read on for the gist of my Wednesday visit, completing the trinity of them so to speak as this holiday beckons, to be made to the community food pantry there, with some care packages and an invite to see below for recipes on how to use such things — and save a lot of dough, and not just chicken scratchings.
Here is what I distributed to patrons at a free Christmas Day dinner in New Richmond, at the Methodist Church, to their busy staff during their “noon hour.” I did something similar over Thanksgiving, via an “open house” done at my place to display recipes that were pumped via the Five Loaves food pantry. Five Stars to them, all of them. And I have a couple of great posts for later, one touting the greetings at my door by a nice young lady with a bottle of wine in her hand (apple cider, actually) …
Feel free to blip over the bloated (but not poached) press release on the tips that’s included, and go straight to the main course, as may also be seen elsewhere on this website but is intended for publication in the Blasts From The Past department. See ya there!
Hello: I am a freelance writer who is new to the area and one of the things I cover on my website on music in the region is how to get the most out of your leftovers, with tips like logical substitutions for recipe ingredients. I have my food waste down to basically zero, and help others do the same with ideas like how to make virtually any sauce from what’s already in your fridge.
I have dumped some of these type of stories into one of my website departments, Blasts From The Past, reprints of some of the more popular posts from this fall and winter. I will likely add a Christmas dinner version, new content, later today, that being Christmas Day.
The website has gotten high readership all over the world because of its prose, and I will soon in the new year do a computer upgrade that will allow people to subscribe to a secondary website and get exclusives, and as they say, the rest of the story. Part of that will a few more specific departments added, one of them on such food ideas. It will provide a grouping of all the tips of I supplied during my several year run with the site.
Because of my maximizing of food-ingredient usage, and the fact I have to try these out myself first, I always have extras on my shelves. I will dish out these, and well as the suggestions, if people have a need for a donation from me. Or want a tip on how to use a specific food item. Maybe they have a great story idea or just want to talk about music. Or even play in a band as I do sometimes. If nothing else, great fodder for my site. So I will list my contact information, which you could give out to people if applicable.
Blogger Joe Winter
joewint52@gmail.com
(715) 821-9630
Merry Christmas
And Easter too
Hope I helped with that
in some very small way
If you are like me, there is sentimental value in serving up a great big bird at Thanksgiving and/or Xmas, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
But this year, since a big old turkey may not be an option, since as I’ve written, a news report said one in five families will not be able to afford such a (once viewed as a staple) fine-feathered symbol of the holiday.
Now I’ll give you an entire, if somewhat disjointed accounting because there still are so many options, to make your holiday whole. So I will bring in chicken and nachos to save the day(s) and the bank account. Fowl is more budget friendly than beef, so we won’t go there.
But with turkey, and when a need exists to go up to the per-ounce limit that’s already dictated by your budget, there are to-fit options that can be supplemented by smaller packets, such as a couple of ounces for 80 cents a shot at my WalMart. You can get whatever you need and not more, down literally to a nickel, a place it on the platter wherever there is a gap.
Are you and yours among the multitudes who have way too much left over after the holiday, then have to decide how many turkey sandwiches is your tolerance before it goes bad, and turkey is not that forgiving, or does it become one of the myriad things that sit in the freezer and accumulate with other now frozen foods. So get a really small bird, and if you need to supplement, have Buddig slices or the like fill any gap for your guests. It can even be changed up by being skewered with any number of olive varieties, other meats and cheeses and assorted pickles. And some BBQ sauce? And what about a whole and still cheaper packet of turkey legs as a stop-gap? And if a few less guests show up, there is more for you and your family later, since these would not have to been opened. (And maybe stow a bit of the croutons as unstuffed for eventual, sprinkling on a salad). And set around that bird, such as it is, dress it up as far as appearance with a garnish of boiled, and maybe seasoned carrots, potatoes and onions, or even parsnips, (usually available for 49 cents a pound at your local Kwik Trip). And for a bedding, iceberg lettuce leaves, or romaine if you have any money left over. Rice anyone?
As far as pickles, you can get a huge jar under the institutional heading for five dollars or less, so make a small care package/jars in advance and send it home as a care package for your guests. And if you are all comfortable with this and you have to do whatever you can these days, have guests make a list of leftovers that might be useful for them before they arrive. Might put such a disclaimer in your RSVP.
Getting it going.
Thus turkey, with the accompanying use of chicken I’ll now describe, becomes a turnkey on your table:
So if your family loves meaty drumsticks — this way you can have more of those by placing them around the circle, under the edge of the bird. You might position their nuggets that are the meat heads facing out, positioning the pieces about one an inch. Or gang up on it by teaming up their placement all around the thighs (see later in the post).
Still in the name of making ends meet, and style also, you can also find fruit by simply placing the leg’s ends together, or apart, or sideways.
But as you go, largely on the fly, take care to write down your seasonings and their amount while going at it this season, to reproduce it in other seasons. This way you will not need to reinvent the wheel the next time around.
It all starts on Thanksgiving Eve, and nachos will be your niche, one of the one or two best-attended tavern times each year, and there’s more to do than just basting a turkey. (A beer for each baste?)
To the contrary. And you have to and/or forgo the beef, or use it with other recipes or freeze, but even refried beans can be used come tomorrow to supplement a side dish. For during the nightly happy hour, time it right and maybe not on a weekend, especially, that nachos poundage that could also do double-duty and triple-duty in your kitchen.
Come then, these could be added to make-or-break an appetizer or pre-game snack, ratchet up entrees, or enhance parts of that 15 or 20 pound turkey, or as we talk, let you scale back to a ten pounder,
It’s best to resist the idea to make the nachos too forefront, as they’ve been in the fridge overnight waiting to be warmed — especially when it comes to your veggies, so just small-splice on a few tads — and you did remember to put the leftovers, with needs as varying as those of certain picky guests, stored away did you not? Rather, the focus could just be on a ten-pound tom turkey. That becomes the point.
This is how you work it.
And you do need to flow, on this as a crazy set of work days, if only for the rushed chef and part-timer cooks. Don’t get too crazy! Or …
At Agave Kitchen in Hudson, they truly bring the nachos to bear. Or other animal can serve the purpose, for that matter. But the heaping plateful you get, like in so many places, can even exceed the height of a chicken-leg-bone, (more on that option later), but with a lot more meat than bone, and both meats, to different degrees, win in that dollar-saving category. From what I’ve seen Agave is the measuring stick for all things nacho, although many others compete, most of them venues that are more grill than bar, and bring savings but can be up to moderately priced.
That prior night, to Thanksgiving, always proves big in bars, so here’s how you win the scenario. Before the feast fest the next day, put a few friends together — deer hunters widows take heed — scarf down but leave a little in the yummy for the pumpkin and pecan pie, or one piece of each if your left room by avoiding (and I liquidize here) that extra side of thick-or-not salsa.
The leftovers will still rock by the next day or so, except maybe for that turkey, as it might be hard or really dry come time for the big game to come on — and isn’t that the (relatively real) reason we gather on this day, and when we can fit in time to bolt to the table. Unless overtime. But maybe not at eateries, depending on how they treat holidays with staffing.
So when you can, take it to the Nachos Farm, a big part of the Agave and the folklore displayed on their sign and front door. And also weigh in their chicken tacos offered all month.
– We can’t speak for the veracity, however, of what Agave in particular is practicing during these time periods. They are just being used as an example of what can be out there as the holiday takes shape. –
Nachos eaten in and then out, with chicken if you can divine it out on Wednesday and then into Thursday, or Friday, are part of the game, starting the night before. Both meats can later be used in casseroles, enchiladas and lasagna, and/or slice and dice them and add them in from the prior night, working it in the kitchen right before kickoff. And those are only the ones touted on a single online source.
But as you go, largely on the fly on this barrage of days, take care to write down your seasonings and their amount while going at it this season, to reproduce it in other seasons. This way you will not need to reinvent the wheel the next time around.
So to recap, and trying not to waddle: All starts on Thanksgiving Eve, one of the one or two best-attended tavern times each year, and there’s more to do than just basting a turkey. (A beer for each baste?) For those nacho ounces and even pounds could give a hand and have your meal’s popularity rival even football, hey Packers more than the now popular Vikings.
It’s best to resist the idea to make the nachos too forefront, as they’ve been in the fridge overnight waiting to be warmed — especially when it comes to your veggies, so just small-splice on a few tads — and you did remember to put the leftovers, with needs as varying as those of certain picky guests, stored away did you not? Rather, the focus could just be on a ten-pound young tom turkey. That becomes the point.
Tips for nacho hunters:
First, make sure the venue where you got the nachos is open to the idea of leftovers for carryout, as with their happy hours there may even be two-for-ones, or half priced appetizers. Of course this is done as an eat-in cost-leader to bring people, but don’t take too much advantage. This is not a buffet line, granted, but you might be in better luck if the server is someone you know, and could tip, to let it slide. But no pressure.
Hey, you can make a heyday if you work with it — repetition alert on behalf of my server friends as this can be severe — on this a work day if only for the rushed chef and part-timer cooks, as if they are even open they are probably short-staffed. So as servers are hustling too, don’t get too crazy with the amount left on the big plate, and asked to be stowed for an overnight! Or …
To boast cool holiday decore well beforehand, there’s this funky little thing called design. It can be done with pumpkins and squash, making your place full of visual cheer, in the style of the latest occasions. They should be on sale now at the local grocery store, but unless they offer the old gold, standard special of spend a ten-spot, get ten, you might not this holiday be able to afford one for every prominent window in your place, much less a second. So … get them up a week or two before each of the holidays, then after half that time passes, rearrangement them to be in each place they were not the previous week. In would say save the best for last as far as which window first, but it might be just as beneficial to start early and get a good vibe going. switch its colors and shapes, and squash has a bounty — and even sizes around in the house.
And, if these slightly fruity and full items do not meet their end before the holidays end, there can be made pies and such as we near December. But until then …
There are so many more bird-beckoning uses, especially those incorporating chicken, as it is used even when taking a bow to the traditional.
Chicken legs are much cheaper than the rest of the bird, especially the breasts, but there is more waste.
However, making soup on Friday saves the day. Or the broth.
Chicken contains slightly more calories and fats, and less protein. And for strength of (schedule) taste it’s also turkey; so season your chicken well.
Turkey is as much as twice as expensive per pound, since the farmers have more work and time to get turkey to the table.
Chicken has about twice the niacin, although turkey features much more selenium — and more sodium in the case of those deli cuts — and also phosphorus and Vitamin B-6 … so diversify.
Cooking times are much higher and there is more prep time when turkey is the bird. And turkey is juicier, but you have to do it right in the oven, and cuts around thighs have the bigger volume of drips. We talked about that earlier, getting a leg up.
So there you go with my design scenario, two or more ways of putting it onto the platter. Full already with …
This broccoli salad, twice over, could be just the trick for using up almost any leftovers you might have in your refrigerator/freezer, and the adventuresome could even fry up very lightly in a pan this veggie, and maybe add some cauliflower for the green and light-white to get more traditional, that remains behind with various types of breading and zesty Asian sauce — topped with melted cheese of many sorts? — to be a mocktail of bar comfort food. (Use lots of the many types of veggie oil in the pan, and be careful not to over-sear the crowns, is that redundant?) Thus it becomes your own recipe, although not as proprietary as BWW, so you can share it with your friends. The best and cheapest comfort food is a subject that’s on my to-do list to delve into, and it may end up being a bucket list, as there are so many things ahead of it on my Must Publish Soon rankings.
Who among you knew that broccoli could be so bountiful? (We knew it is healthy). Great for vegetarians, and if they skimp on the sauces, their time will not come as soon as when my bucket list is flagged, by myself, as urgent.
So here goes. Another list, this time on broccoli at its best. I told the woman behind the deli counter that I’d try to get around to posting this. She was “B” curious.
I advise starting with two different but closely related deli items at Dick’s Market. Broccoli and bacon salad, and cheesy broccoli pasta. Mix the two, half and half, and you have the start of a party. And add in on your own, any of those makings that you happen to have around your kitchen.
And buy more broccoli, or add what’s in the crisper. And add more in as you go about eating it, filling the gap on the side of the bowl caused by what wound up in your stomach, and bringing back freshness. You can get a broccoli crown for under two bucks a pound when on special at places like Dick’s.
Add in any of the following: Sweet peas or whole pea pods sliced smaller, chopped bell peppers, onions, celery, any white meat or ham, and lesser amounts of (various?) minced hot peppers starting with the standard green, brussels sprouts, spinach, raisins … Some of that pepper juice could be sprinkled on top, and/or be part of a marinade for grilled chicken breast, any form of horseradish and even used as a drizzle that sizzles, sour cream and also mayo if you must. And just a bit of cole slaw dressing and the cabbage greens and purples that make it up. A touch of ranch, but leave it at that amount. It can be served cold (a bit of lettuce as a bed?) although you may want to boil the broccoli until just a bit tender. That goes for small amounts of rice also as an underlay.
One other tip of homespun wisdom: Do you find that its very hard to cut celery into pieces, without the strings of it dragging along behind and not severed? Try using not a knife a good scissors to avoid such residue, just cut slowly so not to wear out the blades. And if the crown is used up, I make use of the upper part of the broccoli stem, just don’t go too far down, but you can cut it short wherever you want, to your taste. The texture is a bit rubbery but hard, so when slicing you might invoke again, your scissors, taking a bit of broccoli in small pieces kitty-corner off the side.
Food tips from an actual Mega Foodie?
Need more multiple Martha sightings? Stewart that is. Few know it, except this intrepid reporter, but a big tucked-away factory that single-handedly constitutes a town of Hudson industrial park, and a key home office of sorts in Stillwater, and not as a very bad joke the prison there, comprise — or at least once did — a hub of her business activities. Not to mention all the times Martha Stewart did extremely popular meet and greets in downtown Hudson, at places such as Knoke’s candies and chocolates and on down to the main drag.
That was more than a decade ago, when the whole shebang came to a head, but for business strategic reasons nobody wants to talk about it. So I’m finally knuckling under and spilling the beans — several different kinds — about the Martha-esque connection, and you can bet she would take some of those beans and make it into a killer casserole. And I thought the apropo time for this report might be Mother’s Day, but now I am revisiting it for Father’s Day, as I didn’t get all my last-minute requests for comment to go anywhere, so here we go. (Martha herself would probably not flow with this lack of timeliness, and would find a way to get the goods out there).
Call it an even dozen years now, that being around the time I hyper-indulgently chased after the story up and down and around concerning the connection with Gartner Studios — a fitting name — for local newspapers, as Martha would be hyper-fastidious about such exactness about the company that handled all kinds of things for her such as shipping, production and maybe even design help. No word as to whether this relationship still exists, as know one will be quoted.
The production facility was in an extending-forever-eastward building found on the stub-road next to the highway project that created an odd intersection between County A and the extension of St. Croix Street, had been the home of Duro Bag, (and as many of Martha’s products as you can fit into it?) This was production central for Martha back in the day — and only a few miles from some of the several stores downtown that offered her samplings.
Think how this could optimize the endeavor that is Girls Night Out, sponsored of course by the Hudson chamber of commerce. And since this activity is held semi-annually, that would be about 24 such outings in the mix that could have gone well beyond tasting truffles and yes, dare we say, slightly more “toxic” treats at downtown taverns. All the while thinking about that Harley that they could get on and ride to the city limits, and then be out of sponsorship range. (And this is a way that HudsonWiNightlife can be a rebel, spelling the chamber name with a lower case “c” when the AP Stylebook bows to authority and says these two should be Capitalized. At least it was listed that way years’ back — did I put the apostrophe in the right place? — in Martha’s heyday).
Anyway, to stop digressing (would I do that?), this is a tale of the chase of the story. Gartner’s production plant, which can be found when exiting the north part of Hudson and doing a double dog-leg that takes you to the town of Hudson’s main industrial park on Schommer Drive, has multiple big buildings and reams of blacktop-covered parking lot, but not a lot of signage for the various production departments. So I ended up knocking on doors, but there were very few workers to be found next to the outer walls of the facilities, which rivaled the size of football fields. Eventually, I did see a small sign for a small office that had a small smattering of stairs leading up to an industrial-looking door with a dearth of windows. On a try that was not the first, with a lack of publicity options like a phone number giving context via the Yellow Pages not helping, I found a lone worker who directed me to their Stillwater-based PR person — who really didn’t want to field any of my questions. End of story.
Last Dance With Mary Jane was in April, for the staffers who were still on hand. but take it on the road not the man cave
June 17th, 2019What would a month make? More stoners, bean bag league players, and cops foregoing warm doughnuts and hot coffee for things such as ice cream:
— The 4-20 observance (hey I know its been over well a month ago, but am I being a typical stoner?) was, unfortunately, understaffed at the Hideaway since a number of their Twin Cities workers quit right beforehand. That would never happen at a Wisconsin smoke shop, would it? Does their degree of reliability surprise you? However, who was indeed there may have used some of their inventory to soldier through (just kidding). Usually its a great big promotion date, for them and their Hudson branch, and also their competitors at Smokedale, which can also be found in Oakdale, hence the (relatively coherent for a stoner) rhyming. And by contrast, word has it that the local Smokedale has been adding staff, because when you need that smoke you want service.
— Also over a month ago, what with the relatively warm weather first showing, my neighbor foresook his classic, loomingly large man cave and got his bright-red sports car out, which because the windows are no higher than his waist looks like the proverbial low-rider. But as there was a more recent showing of the first really hot, not just warm, weather, topped off by the hosting of local car shows, such classic cars were to be seen all over the place — not to mention other things like crotch rockets and cars abundant with glowing designs of Flower Power rather than just straight paint, being followed at some times by the police.
— And again, almost a month ago, I witnessed the first-of-the-season bean bag toss being played in someone’s yard, as its been warm and cool, by turns. They oddly enough, in what you would expect to be changed up, had the same number of boards — two games going — as that down the road at Kozy Korner in their tournament a week earlier. What did they have going, which was topped off by the young kids throwing hither and yon at a family members recent birthday party for a youngster? Four score …
— But now to get more current, at the expense of The Father. This savings for frugal dad on his day might seem cool on its face, but in this case it actually involves the armpits, although the $4 that is leftover could avail him to have a beer at his favorite haunt, and even leave a good tip, (but again not sure, as dad indeed might be frugal with his sheckles). The topic: Get your fresh on through deoderant, and sorry dad, but sometimes you need it, although that is a matter of Degree. Especially when entertaining this claim, that it dries instantly (dad might appreciate since he can be a bit OCD), and gives 48 hour protection (in case it becomes dad’s 24-day times two, if he tries to get out there with a basketball in the driveway with the youngsters and prove he can still hit that medium-range jumper, which actually at his age might be a set-shot like back in the day, and this gets him a bit too sweaty for his wife and daughters).
Another bad idea for a Father’s Day gift, although with a similar cost savings via coupon, will you get some adult diapers. OK, this one might be more for Grandfather’s Day. But I guess that all Depends. And Old Granddad wasn’t always known for his Poise!
On the better side, The Coldstone Creamery says that dads can get a treat that’s “dark, tall and delicious.” Does he need to get out Viagra or heart or cholesterol medication?
— The other night two State Patrol troopers took their break at Freedom and bought up sugary snacks of all varieties, but get this, no doughnuts! This right on the cusp of National Doughnut Day. Can you get written up a citation for (not) doing that? Or, as a newspaper colleague of mine was fond of saying, for not buying the right treat as an act of misconduct, “Bad Cop, No Doughnut!” I guess that explains their buying pattern or the lack of now, doesn’t it.
— While on the topic of what is legal, a bar patron the other night queried of all people, me, about the intricacies of libel law. And for my advice, he didn’t even adjourn and buy me a beer, the bastard (or should I say barrister). I guess I wasn’t supposed to get any further into the realm of the law by venturing into what could be OWI territory. I must say that back in college, professors didn’t get on my case as they knew I was a wiz at press law, and even told me so off the record, and I’d actually got a C in a course where it was a rite of passage to be flunked the first time through. Although that was so many years ago that I doubt more than 10 percent of precedents had been written.
— Something else that should be written is that David Wright was doing a reading session from what he had written as a book, at the Hudson Public Library. It said so, right on that sign that was almost as big as, and right next to, the front door. Another author was listed on the back of the sign, which faced the bushes. I guess the former wordsmith had sold a bunch more books than the one that was close to being right up against the wall.
— I was trapped inside the four walls when taking part in our neighborhood garage sale, which didn’t produce too many dimes. So I told my bartender friend Matt, that he could buy my entire estate for all of a buck. Alas, he only had 99 cents on him, as the terms were cash. So I dug deeper into my pockets and said I could loan him a rare $2 bill, which being in mint condition was probably worth $3. I then thought I could indeed make the sale, which was a good deal, I thought …
— Moving to the topic of the NBA Finals, an injury to Kevin Durant drew boos and he limped off the court, and all kinds of Canadians were appalled at the conduct of their countrymen concerning the Toronto-Golden State match-up. Musician Drake was one of those supporting Durant. I’m told that joining the love fest was a former model from Brazil who despite the geographical distance knows Drake and for a while hung out at The Village Inn in North Hudson.
— Alas (old) Packer Backers, Bart Starr has passed on. Perhaps the best place to offer your “memorial” would be Starr’s Bar. Word has it that this venue, also in North Hudson, “threw” an observation that was (Jim) Taylor-made for the occasion.
— On the night of the 75 Anniversary of D-Day, I exited Dick’s Bar and heard on the car radio as I was driving away, the same fitting song as I had inside — The Trooper by Iron Maiden. I also had heard a lot of Megadeth, which is decidedly anti-war, being played in recent days (the name is a measurement of how many millions would have to have died in a nuclear Holocaust to produce that tally. As in two million deaths would be called two megadeaths). Alas, saw a lot of War Pigs compilations described on old cover jackets, and an old friend turned quickly and gave me a high five for my past singing of the old Black Sabbath standard.
Singing Songs About The Southland, and more, with Riddle Brothers Americana all the way up and down the Mississippi, and now coming to North Hudson via The Village
June 14th, 2019Answer the call, and the Riddle, by going to see The Riddle Brothers at The Village Inn, as this weekend’s ties stretch all the way to Baton Rouge and Chicago:
— Consider this Riddle: Which band you can see this Saturday includes “Riddlers” by the name of Charles, Mark and Michael. That would be, yes, The Riddle Brothers. It is the same bat channel as the only local venue this Minnesota crew has played in the past, that loyalty being to the Village Inn in North Hudson, which picks its acts with care and has had The Riddle Brothers. a couple of times before. With strong ties to their southern heritage, The Riddle Brothers play what they call an eclectic, acoustic blend of pure Americana, folk and original songs. Their musical roots originate from living in cities nestled along the shores of the Mississippi River, including Baton Rouge, Moline IL, (also referenced by folk-rocker Bob Segar in one of his songs), and closer to this area and further north than the rest, that of course that being Minneapolis-St. Paul. The music is on all evening of June 15. And if there is more star power by association needed, the Marshall Tucker Band has a drummer by the name of Riddle.
— The Red Line. Or a red stripe, as was being painted on the south side of not Chicago, but Kozy Korner in North Hudson. But there is another geographical reference, this time having to do with all things Eau Claire and Milwaukee, and this is blue (to be combined with the aformentioned red and also white, with July 4th coming). To more fully explain, Kozy is having $3 specials on EC-based Leinie’s during all Milwaukee Brewer games. So what’s so special about that? Like all things having to do with beer and brats and brews at Brewer games, go big or go home back to North Hudson, where you can live large anyway, through the fact that these Kozy and cheap Leinie’s are a full 22 ounces.
— Their flyer, unintentionally, shows some game boards that because of their lines of holes, and also having rounded corners, looks like Dr. Scholl’s insoles. But the event it is footing promises to be more interesting, although the jury is out on Old School vs. newbie players. Find out by doing the cribbage tournament at Dick’s Bar and Grill on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. And bring your old lady, because it is a doubles format. There is a $10 entry fee, but that cost is eased since a free drink is offered to players, and there are prizes.
— I often joke about this, when talking about the bands that are profiled on hudsonwinightlife, in which cases I steer toward those that are newer and less known, to get the word out. To extend the joke, at least they are not the Zebra Mussels for the umpteenth time. But to carry forward with that theme, it is duly noted that The Mussels will play both Friday and Saturday nights at the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt. That two-fer is occurring there for one of the first times with bands. And to clear up any misunderstanding that could potentially have happened, concerning Blind Dog playing there last weekend, they are different then (1) the heavy metal band that has been around since the 1990s, (2) they are not necessarily the Blind Dog Blues Band, and (3) they aren’t the band Blind Dogs. With all these bands chiming in, there should be some bling coming in.
Go Agape over Agave, both kitchen and cantina, for the Stanley Cup jaw-dropping physical action that has led up to the season’s final NHL game
June 13th, 2019Sometimes its not what you know, but when you know it. And if you are a Boston Bruins fan, you are probably singing the Blues right now, as St. Louis has pulled ahead by two goals to none to start the second period in the final, physical game of the NHL hockey season, to decide the Stanley Cup. This means the Out Easters likely would gladly wait for the outcome to extend to overtime or a shootout. That would give the pro hockey league more time to make for commercial time and rake in more revenue, not to mention hit the red eye to get to a sports bar like those over here and view the action with Wisconsin beer, not Sam Adams, before the not-long-to-be-coming final horn. With that said, those who champion themselves as sports bars have been understated in Hudson about publicizing this event — quite unlike the seemingly monthly UFC nights where they really pack them in at Buffalo Wild Wings. The exception? The marquee at Agave Kitchen/Bullpen Cantina said it this way: “Boston Bruins fans party here.” They better start! As the Wednesday evening game seven is already getting out of hand.