Hello Wednesday. April 24 2024 |
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Late summer makes for the perfect patio moments. Settle into your favorite chair, invite some friends, fix up a fish fry, and savor an old fashioned.
Hold that thought — when you imagine the scene, what’s in your old fashioned? We bet it’s not whiskey. Everyone knows a good Wisco old fashioned is made with brandy. Here's why. |
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Technically the Wisco cocktail came after Louisville's version — making it a brandy new old fashioned. | Photo by @wollersheimdistillery |
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🥃 Home sweet home
The original whiskey old fashioned rose to prominence in the 19th century — but we’ll let LOUtoday Editor Sarah Shadburne say it better than we could:
We lay claim to the old fashioned here in Louisville — it is Derby City’s official cocktail after all — which was first crafted by a bartender at the Pendennis Club in 1880. He’s credited with introducing the cocktail to the world when he took it with him to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.
(Bonus: The Pendennis Club also invented Henry Bain Sauce — a rich and tangy meat sauce best enjoyed on steak.) Then, a key ingredient hit the scene. Three German brothers attended the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and they brought a taste of home: European brandy.
Wisconsinites, near Chicago and mostly immigrants themselves, attended the fair and bought the brothers’ brandy en masse. To this day, Wisconsin still drinks the most brandy of any state in the US.
🥃 Rough times, smooth brandy Prohibition denied distillers quality equipment to pursue their craft. That had two knock-on effects on Madison’s preference for cocktails: -
The need to mask astringent flavors gave drinkers a taste for sweets + unique garnishes. Brandy, generally, is sweeter than whiskey.
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According to one account, Wisconsin distributors still reeling from World War II discovered 30,000 cases of cached, pre-war brandy. "So in Wisconsin, if you could get bad whiskey or good brandy [...] what were you going to drink?,” said writer Jeanette Hurt. “You were going to drink brandy. So, people started drinking their cocktails with brandy."
🥃 Thirsty? Visit our recipe + guide to Madison’s cocktail of choice. |
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Raise a glass — whatever's in it — and toast Wisconsin history with the buttons below. |
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Click Here to have your event featured |
Today - Kikeh Mato | Thurs., July 28 | 5-7 p.m. | Lisa Link Peace Park, 452 State St. | Free | Experience local music in a vibrant outdoor venue.
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Stories of the Land at Pope Farm Conservancy | Thurs., July 28 | 7-8:00 p.m. | Pope Farm Conservancy, 7440 Old Sauk Rd., Verona | Free | Learn about the land that is now the Pope Farm Conservancy.
Friday -
Mother Bucket | Fri., July 29 | 5-8 p.m. | Hop Garden Tap Room, 6818 Canal St. | Free | Enjoy classic rock and great brews at Paoli Mill.
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Art Cart | Fri., July 29 | 1-4 p.m. | B.B. Clarke Beach, 835 Spaight St. | Free | Bring out that inner Picasso at this mobile art studio for kids of all ages and skill levels. 🎨
Saturday -
THE DRIFT Album Release | Sat., July 30 | 7 p.m. | Cafe Coda | $10 | The Madison jazz outfit is back with a new album and their same one-of-a-kind sound. 🎷
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Burn Boot Camp at the Green | Sat., July 30 | 9:15-10 a.m. | Hilldale, 701 N. Midvale Blvd. | Free | Burn Boot Camp pops up on the Green at Hilldale for a killer workout to kick off your weekend. 🔥
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Wright and Like | Sat., July 30 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Best Western Plus InnTowner Madison, 2424 University Ave. | $60+ | Tour eight private Frank Lloyd Wright homes during this annual Wright appreciation event.
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We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends. |
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Hampton Farms has been in biz for 75+ years, so you know they’ve got the snacking thing down. | Photo provided by Hampton Farms |
We’re four days into 608today’s first Drink Up Week — and we’re loving every second. Here’s something else to add to your plate: Hampton Farms gourmet peanuts — because the only thing better than a drink is a drink + a snack. Here are three of our go-to pairings: Is your stomach rumbling? Click the button to start your order. 🥜 * |
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Weather - 77º | Sunny | 6% chance of rain
Health -
27 state telehealth providers received a total of $2.5 million from Gov. Tony Evers + the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The funds, aimed at bringing mental health treatment to communities in need, will be used to set up behavior telehealth centers at focal points like food pantries + libraries. (WKOW)
Festival -
Get ready for WaunaFest starting today at 4 p.m. and running through Sun., July 31. Visit Centennial Park to enjoy most of the festivities, but don’t forget to check out events like the Wenzel Amazements Circus and softball tournament happening city-wide. (Channel3000)
Cause -
The Stoughton Resettlement Assistance Program is accepting household items to support its mission of resettling Ukrainian families into fully-furnished apartments + homes. Here's where to donate. (WPR)
Plan Ahead -
Jacknife will host its first ever pop-up at State Line Distillery. Show up Thurs., Aug. 4 at 5 p.m. for drinks, trivia, and Jacknife’s signature dumplings, sushi + poke. They will be hosting another pop-up Thurs., Aug. 18 — but why would you want to wait that long?
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Beloit’s police department is hosting a giveaway at Riverside Park on Wed., Aug. 3 p.m. The prize? Steering wheel locks. Kia + Hyundai owners can claim their free lock, a countermeasure against a rash of car thieves exploiting flaws in both makes. (WKOW)
Development -
The Plan Commission voted to approve a developer’s proposal to raze several buildings on the 800 block of Regent Street, including a small church and the historic Buckingham’s Bar and Grill. CRG Acquisition of Chicago plans to build a mixed residential + commercial space, including a mural of the site’s history. (Madison.com)
Civic -
Dane County gave Middleton $1 million yesterday towards the North Mendota Trail. The new segment will connect Highland Way and Century Avenue to the eastern city limits. The money will also be used to smooth out the existing path where it crosses streets + driveways. (Channel3000)
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The results are in: the Beltline Flex Lane that opened just a few weeks ago is a success for drivers + traffic officials, but it’s also a work in progress. Look out for changes in the coming months, particularly concerning when the lane opens, as WisDOT continues to compile data. (NBC15)
Biz -
Rutabaga Paddlesports broke ground on its new location by Rimrock Road. The facility is expected to be finished in late 2022, with a soft opening in the fall — a larger grand opening will follow in spring 2023. Meanwhile, the Monona location will remain open until the move. (NBC15)
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We’re pushing into late summer — and the closer we get to the equinox, the better chance you have of catching the aurora borealis.
It may be a bit of a road trip, so sign up for a free alert service to make sure the drive isn’t wasted. Who knows? You may even get lucky and catch a glimpse over Lake Mendota.
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Editor's pick: A fellow KC-based editor and I were chatting today about possible connections between Kansas City and Madison. Both cowtowns? Fellow ope'ers? Let me know. Missed yesterday's newsletter? Here's how to stock your bar, locally. | |
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