While Phyl has been known for her "magnificent obsessions" over the years (i.e. collecting holiday movies +400!, genealogy, and back in the day before we we houseless, shoes +170!), Jer has had one overarching obsession that has continued to this day; Supper Clubs! First let's start with the definition of this unique dining experience...
The Supper Club: According to
Atlas Obscurca ~ From the outside, a Midwestern “supper club” might seem like a typical, if slightly old-fashioned, restaurant. But these establishments, especially concentrated in Wisconsin, are their own genre. They’re distinguished by taxidermy, dark wood, and their location: romantically remote and on the borders of lakes or forests. The specials have a cheerful regularity—fish fries on Friday, chicken on Sunday—and on other nights, customers can feast on steaks, seafood, bread, soup, and complimentary relish trays of cheese, salads, and pickled vegetables. Washed down with cocktails and boozy ice cream drinks, it’s a bountiful eating experience. It’s also one with an inextricable whiff of the past about it, something that has both helped and hurt the supper club tradition. (NOTE: all photos in this blog are from
The Village Supper Club in Delavan, WI)
And then there is Jer's Five Radish Rating System (created with our cousin Guy) which is applied to all establishments claiming the title "supper club" in their marque (each category is allocated one radish) ~
The Brandy Old Fashioned: Served sour or sweet, the sweet version is what most Wisconsinites reach for. To make a brandy Old Fashioned sweet, a maraschino cherry is muddled with an orange slice, sugar cube, and bitters, then topped with Korbel brandy and a splash of soda. Note: must be a
"two-fingered" pour, not like the lightweight drinks served at today's franchise bars!
The Relish Tray: This supper club staple is a must. Every respectable establishment starts off with a relish tray. It’s like an appetizer to your appetizer. While each relish tray is different, expect to have a creamy cheese spread accompanied by assorted crackers and fresh or pickled vegetables.
The Surf n' Turf Menu: Proper supper clubs must three critical critters on their menus ~ steaks, chicken and fish! The steaks are often of a local hand cut variety, chicken is fried and fish is all you can eat on Fridays (and don't forget the shrimp DeJonge preparations)!
The Brandy Alexander: The Brandy Alexander is a quintessential Wisconsin cocktail, that can be found on all Supper Clubs menus. Interestingly, the original Alexander cocktail used Gin as the base spirit, but the Wisconsin way is with Korbel Brandy (trivia fact, over half the annual production of Korbel Brandy is sold in Wisconsin!) This cocktail can be easily made with vanilla ice cream in place of the half & half, for an even more decadent experience.
The Ambiance: That's a fancy word for a cozy vibe brought on by the warmth of old school wood paneling adorned with a variety of stuffed critters. Or as the famed supper club author Ron Faiola likes to say, the “Holy Trinity” of supper club decor: taxidermy, twinkly lights, and dark wood.
Now, as for the non-traditional supper club with tradition, The Village Supper Club in Delevan certainly personifies 'new.' For although they don't have stuffed animals on paneled walls - the retro/modern Frank Llyod Wright inspired wood ceilings and walls with stone baselines is classy. The silly monkey wallpaper in the men's bathroom was hilarious, the large fireplace in front of the long island bar was cozy and the bartender friendly. Plus, he made the best Brandy Alexander we've ever tasted - needed a spoon to take that sharable drink down! Sixty's style crooner songs (i.e. Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin) serenaded us in the dining room from our cozy u-shaped leather booth with tall windowed views of the lake. Truly an experientially relaxing supper club vibe!
Some would say our lifestyle is also non-traditional, yet full of traditions. We carry our roku box with us across the country so we can always watch our favorite BBC mystery series where ever we land. Coffee service is a necessity to start our mornings - so we always carry a French-press - just in case our hosts aren't coffee drinkers. And... a couple of trusted wine/martini glasses so we can always conduct a proper happy hour no matter the location! Finally, an electric photo display frame which we put up in each location to 'see' our family every day. We travel light, but bring what we cherish.
And... through it all, our mission remains consistent and ever present - Make New Memories!
(Sometimes non-traditionally, with tradition.)
SOO... I've you've dined/experienced a supper club... please share your some of your fond memories!
Comments