Hi. My name is Lori. I live in Milwaukee… and I’m obsessed with food.
I couldn’t tell you exactly when it started – though I suspect growing up with a butcher for a grandfather and a mother who made the most of her time in the kitchen only served to feed whatever budding interest I had in cooking and eating. The fact is, by the time I reached my early twenties, my appetite for culinary adventure was virtually insatiable. And my soon-to-be husband, Paul, only encouraged my obsession.
Our budget was too thin to support fine dining, so I started experimenting at home. I began reading cookbooks like novels and spending my free time puttering in the kitchen. No flavor combination was too outlandish. No recipe was too complex. And no distance was too far to travel for that next delicious discovery…
Which brings me to the mission and scope of DEVOUR Milwaukee.
The fact is, culinary change is brewing in Milwaukee, and the foodie community is growing.
Not more than three or four years ago, I had to drive about an hour south into northern Illinois to reap the benefits of stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. The “food scene” in Chicago eclipsed Milwaukee’s in almost every possible way.
But then something happened that changed the way Milwaukee lived and ate. The building boom of 2007 brought an explosion of condominiums, bars, clubs and restaurants to downtown Milwaukee. Shuttered storefronts and parking lots gave way to specialty shops and eateries. Around the same time, farms and food artisans started hopping on the “local eating” bandwagon.
And suddenly, the food culture in our proudly Midwestern town started to bloom. Today, foodies in Milwaukee have plenty to be excited about.
From artisan shops and local delicacies to foodie destinations and fabulous finds at the farmers market, my aim on DEVOUR Milwaukee will be to highlight the brightest and the best of the food scene here in Milwaukee and the surrounding area. And I hope you’ll join me. I promise it will be a delicious time!
