Kurt and Katie Fogle, the married chefs and co-owners of Dairyland and Mid-Way Bakery, welcomed us not just into their home but that window to the soul – their jam-packed refrigerator. Some constants: Wisconsin dairy products, takeout food and a jungle of condiments (hello, Hellman’s mayo). Here’s what else we found:
1. Frozen pizza Their strategy to make the most of a middle-of-the-road pie such as this Home Run Inn classic sausage is to use a pizza stone and take the pie out of the oven at about 75% of the bake time. Let it rest until cool, turn the oven up a little higher and bake until it’s brown and the “crust is no longer floppy,” Kurt says.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
2. Grown In Idaho frozen steak-cut fries. The “best to make in the air fryer – unbeatable,” says Kurt.
3. Ice cream. Always working on R&D, the Fogles have multiple brands of chocolate peanut butter ice cream. “I’ve tried every one to see what I like the best,” Kurt says, as he works to create a baller flavor of Dairyland frozen custard.
4. Everything bagels that Kurt made at MATC, where he teaches in the culinary arts program. Little-known fact: During the semesters, the bakery at MATC’s Downtown campus – selling student-made baked goods – is open Tues-Wed 9 am.-12:30 p.m.
5. “Secret” sauce. This red sauce will become part of a dish Katie developed riffing off of Kurt’s favorite childhood spaghetti. Noodles are topped with alfredo sauce, a red meat sauce and mozzarella, then baked at 350 until it “gets all nice and golden like lasagna,” she says. “Oh my gosh, it’s so good.”
6. Eggs from one of Kurt’s MATC colleagues who has a farm. The Fogles always have plenty on hand for making bigger weekend breakfasts.
7. Buttermilk ranch dressing from Dairyland is an incredible companion to things dippable, especially chicken tenders and pizza.
8. Fresh apple cider from Burlington’s Brightonwoods Orchard – “best cider in the world,” says Kurt. The hard cider on the top shelf comes from the on-site distillery/winery, AeppelTreow.
Where They Shop
Woodman’s and Meijer and Layton Fruit Market for produce. And “sometimes Instacart from the car because we’re not going into a store today. I know it’s more expensive, but I guarantee we save $100 ’cause if we walk into that grocery store,” it’s impulse-buy city.
