Dig In

Let’s cut to the chase: Food! Here in Milwaukee, we like to tout our vibrant restaurant scene. While it is certainly a point of pride, eating out is only part of the story. Food is an everyday matter, and for most people, the majority of those meals emanate from their own kitchens. That’s what makes the Food Lovers Guide (page 36) extra special. Dining editor Ann Christenson slices and dices the issue of food every which way, providing a comprehensive resource of the best of the best in our region. This arrives right in time for the holiday season, when there is much food preparation of all kinds to be done. But I know I’ll be turning back to it in January, February and beyond. We are staring down the long, cold winter months, and what better way to brighten them up than with great homemade meals? 

Every year in the December issue, we feature our Give Back Milwaukee section (page 56), in which we spotlight nonprofits and report on the great work they are doing in our community. I hope these profiles will inspire you to donate your time, your money or whatever feels right. Supporting a cause you believe in is one sure-fire way to conjure the holiday spirit.  

If you’re a regular reader of Milwaukee Magazine, you know that we devote most of our coverage to celebrating our city and state, and connecting you with all of the wonderful things happening in our region. But, when warranted, we do tackle tougher subjects. Such was the case in our February issue, when writer Elly Fishman exposed how staffing shortages afflicting health care nationwide were impacting patients at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s in Milwaukee. In this issue, Fishman revisits the topic (page 32), only to find that the situation continues to deteriorate.  

I think these three stories epitomize the scope of Milwaukee Magazine’s mission. If you find value in what we do, please consider giving subscriptions to folks on your holiday gift list. We’ll make sure they have a reason to thank you 12 times in 2024. 

– Carole Nicksin, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
carole@milwaukeemag.com, @CaroleNicksin

In the Magazine:

Features

• Food Lovers Guide: Where to get the perfect baguette. How to make a salami rose for your charcuterie board. And what exactly is the deal with those twisted cocktail spoons? Indulge your inner foodie with our jam-packed dossier of deliciousness.
• Sister, Lawyer, Leader: From protecting children in court to orchestrating a complex move for her aging School Sisters of Notre Dame, Sister Debra Marie Sciano hardly lives a typical nun’s life. 
• Engaging Passion: Meet three nonprofit founders making a difference in the city, with missions from supporting arts education to helping people recover from substance abuse.
• The Big Story: As conditions remain challenging at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s hospital, staffing problems across the health care industry are gaining attention.  A follow-up to our special report a year ago.  

Your 414

• Seasonal Singers: Dickens Carolers bring the merry.
• People, Places, Things: Krampus, Kwanzaa, vending machine art, a Violent Femmes reissue and more 
• Photography: Catching up with Samer Ghani, shooter of Milwaukee’s stars
• The Nutcracker: Diving deep on Milwaukee Ballet’s refresh of the classic
• MKE@HOME:  Wallpapering the ceiling can add pattern, luminosity and more to a room.

The Dish

• Sweets: Simple but sensational cookies from the little elves at Kurt Schulz Deli
• Tidbits: Lincoln Warehouse’s new Latin-Asian fusion tenant, a pop-up bakery’s evolution and more news you can chew
• Review: The mostly highs of dining at Heirloom MKE’s new brick-and-mortar  
• Roundup: Five spots to find delicious Puerto Rican food

Insider

• Business: What’s driving Sprecher Brewing’s sweet growth? 
• History: A new marker for Milwaukee’s 1861 lynching
• Taxes: Making sense of Southeastern Wisconsin’s new sales tax landscape 

Explore

• New Year’s: A fittingly Wisconsin way to ring in the new year
• Roundup: Six striking bowling alleys across the state
• Travel: From ski slopes to spa baths, Wausau has all your winter escape needs covered.