Wisconsin food on the road

"This ain't a Weight Watchers trip," warned a colleague, as she scribbled down stops I absolutely must make between getting off the S.S. Badger ferry in Manitowoc, Wis., and arriving in Door County two hours north. She plotted an itinerary that would include the major food groups of the Badger State: smoked fish, cheese curds, chocolate, hamburgers and summer sausage.

And when I got off the boat, I followed it:

Late's: The tiny, unimposing restaurant in a quiet Manitowoc neighborhood features an undulating counter with red stools. A hamburger ($2.50) with the works comes wrapped completely in white paper like a little present. The bun was crispy after being grilled with plenty of butter. The meat was only millimeters thick, its edges crisp, too. Delicious. 1924 S. 9th St., Manitowoc, Wis.; 920-682-1539

Beerntsen's Confectionery: Beerntsen's has been there since 1932 and still has the walnut booths and art deco interior. It was crowded with shoppers snapping up chocolate bark, chocolate truffles and chocolate meltaways. I bought two boxes of chocolates for gifts, plus one little snack bag with three chocolates for myself. Are you kidding? That bag was gone by the time I drove out of town. 108 N. 8th St., Manitowoc, Wis.; 920-684-9616, beerntsens.com

Suzy Q's Fish Market: Local smoked whitefish is their specialty. They also had smoked salmon, salmon dip, whitefish dip and all kinds of other smoked things in the dinky shop. I had no cooler, but I bought some whitefish dip ($4.50). I drove out of town with the bag on the car floor near the air conditioner. 1810 East St., Two Rivers, Wis.; 920-793-5240, susieqfishmarket.com

Konop's Meat Market: Local men in the store were talking about whatever happened to Czechoslovakia, anyway? I ordered the picnic summer sausage, no spices (half-pound, $2.50). I added it to my stash near the air conditioner. N2062 County Road Ab, Stangelville/Denmark, Wis.; 920-388-3892

Krohn's Dairy: Up the road a couple miles from Konop's is this venerable dairy (N2915 County Road Ab, Luxemburg), now part of Trega Foods. The gift shop sells all kinds of cheeses, but my colleague had been specific. Cheese curds. Get the cheese curds.

"I'll have some cheese curds," I said, following orders to get fresh curds that "squeak in your mouth and when you bite down you can squeeze the milk out of them."

"Sorry, we're out," the clerk replied. "We only make them Sundays and Fridays."

What could I do? I bought some Swiss cheese instead and bagel chips, and when I got to my Door County hotel room (which had a refrigerator, thank goodness), I made myself a whole spread: crackers with whitefish dip, crackers with sausage and Swiss cheese, chocolate for dessert, and thought, wow, what a nourishing state.

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