I always wonder who was the first one to think of spreading creamy, smooth peanut butter onto a slice of bread and smashing it together with a glop of jelly. Or melting a marshmallow oh so slightly and piling it on top of a graham cracker with some milk chocolate. Whoever thought of these crazy concoctions are now my new favorite people, or I guess people I aspire to become. Mixing, blending, simmering, tossing, stacking and combining ingredients together is the ultimate way to be an adventurous foodie.
Ok, I know the PB&J sandwich and the s’more are classic examples. By taking it to the next level, I am going to reveal two outstanding and mind-blowing creations I discovered this past weekend.
*Warning: Your mouth may drop, salivate, drool and/or crave the following collaborations*
First let’s take a journey to the capital of Wisconsin, Madison. This infamous city is known for the rambunctious university, the state’s mascot (GO BADGERS!) and Scott Walker. . . let’s not get into politics. During my wondrous time visiting my study abroad/Sconnie friend, Kirby, she brought me to a local restaurant her family calls the perfect place for Italian cuisine. This watering hole is called Lombardino’s. It’s a tiny, cozy place that serves phenomenal dishes ranging from the classic spaghetti alla bolognese to wood grilled paprika sausage and octopus.
Copyright of Jennifer Rogers.
My eyes constantly scroll across the menu as I try to choose only one delicious entrée. All of a sudden my entire body feels warm and anxious as I see the most incredible choice, pepperoni and sicilian green olive brick oven pizza. Holy crap. Here’s the description:
Thick cut pepperoni with San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella & cream cheese
Are you serious?! I shoo away the green olives and patiently await (who am I kidding…) this masterpiece. This poor quality photo from my cell phone does not do it justice.
I take my first bite of the crispy, airy crust tied in with the spicy pepperoni and toasted cream cheese dollops and fall in love. The mozzarella complementing the cream cheese is perfect. Oh goodness. After bragging about choosing the best dish, I was able to take the remains home, which ended in me handing it off to Kirby.
Cream cheese on pizza = a Sconnie’s dream.
The second reveal was discovered downtown Appleton, also known as the heart of young professionals seeking to have a great time. An impromptu dinner at an unbelievable restaurant called Katsu-Ya led to adding a drink to my top ten all-time favorite beers. Three words, The Dark Side. Already intrigued by the name, I had to look at the combination. Wait for it. . . Guinness and Blue Moon *insert singing angels*. Again, not-so-hot photo quality.
Copyright of Jennifer Rogers.
Quick side note: the main reason why I ordered this beer was because of my dear love for Black & Tans, a mixture of Guinness and a pale ale. When choosing a dark and light beer combination, you should always let the beer settle before consuming. Why? Since the dark beer is so thick and rich, it needs precious time to mix with the lighter beer to get the full effect. Knowing how much I adore Black & Tans, I thought “Hey, why not! Let’s give it a whirl.”
What an awesomely awesome decision. The darkness of the Guinness seeping into the citrus flavor of the Blue Moon is ravishing. I have honestly never sipped on anything like it. I will be that person recommending to sell this drink at every bar in the near/distant future.
The take-away: never stop being curious. Whether it’s trying a thousand trial-and-error recipes or wondering how people get those pirate ships into tiny bottles, always envision new creations.
“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.”- Alice in Wonderland.
Sconnie Cuisine 