1. Stretch Your Last-Minute Gift Dollars
CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Last week, Visit Milwaukee rolled out a pretty nice sweetener for last-minute gift shoppers: a bonus $25 gift card for gift card purchases totaling $25 or more. So, yeah, that’s as much as doubling your money at the participating businesses, which are a nice range of local restaurants, shops and attractions. Several outlets – including, relevant to my interests, a few local breweries – have sold out of their allotments, but good options remain as the program closes in on its Dec. 24 end. The list of participating Visit Milwaukee members, updated with sellouts, is here. And happy holidays to you and yours.
2. Try the Quesadilla al Pastor at Cozumel
AMRITA THAKKAR, DIGITAL EDITOR
Pineapple on pizza is my worst nightmare, so you can imagine that pineapple in a quesadilla is not far behind on my list of “things I would literally never want near my tastebuds, ever.” This weekend, however, I was persuaded not only into getting Mexican takeout at a friend’s place, but trying a new option on Cozumel’s menu – the Quesadilla al Pastor, a delicious if confusing concoction of meat, cheese… and pineapple, served with rice and beans.
As fate would have it, I was hooked after the first bite. The subtle sweetness of grilled pineapple paired perfectly with the grilled meat, and somehow even worked with the generous amounts of salty, melty cheese. I ate the whole thing in one sitting, which is saying something because Mexican takeout always results in leftovers for me. Note, however, that if you have a sensitive stomach like me, you might want to have some very bland food on hand for the next day (and yes, it was totally worth it.)
Tell us who you’d pick to be a Betty this year!
3. Grab a Sambusa at Blue Star Cafe
ANN CHRISTENSON, DINING EDITOR
I like a good samosa – a triangular, savory Indian pastry. But I believe the sambusa has eclipsed its pastry cousin. Or maybe it’s just the sambusa served at the great little Somali restaurant Blue Star Café (1619 N. Farwell Ave.). Their sambusa – a crisp, golden wafer-thin shell folded around a minced chicken, beef or vegetable filling – is light and flaky, and you will be sorry if you order only one! I was just there and am kicking myself for not ordering a few to enjoy later. Be sure to also try Blue Star’s chicken suqaar – a kind of stir-fry heavy on cumin and coriander, served with rice and topped with raisins and cubed potato.
4. Get Merry with a Tom & Jerry at Von Trier
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
My Christmas spirit has been on its last legs. I have a Scrooge on one shoulder, whispering visions of humbug mania in one ear – and on the other, another Scrooge complaining about the cost of gifts. Where is my Tiny Tim? My Santa Clause? My Buddy the Elf? My sense of joy at this most wonderful time of the year?
Well, turns out it’s at the bottom of a glass of Tom & Jerry.
This past weekend, I was hanging out at the newly revitalized Von Trier on the East Side – a longtime favorite for German cuisine and drinks – when I decided to try the limited-time holiday special Tom & Jerry. (Von Trier’s owner, John Dye, notably serves a beloved version every holiday season at Bryant’s, his other establishment.) That egg nog-esque, Up North classic spiced cocktail – milk, egg batter, brandy, rum, nutmeg – was just the lovely dose of cozy December delight I needed. My shoulder-borne Scrooges stopped their muttering, at least for a few minutes, and I felt the appreciation of good times and good folks that the season should bring.
