Who Moved My Cheese?

As many of y’all know, I spent an extended 4th of July weekend in Wisconsin, visiting with my grandmother and celebrating my grandpa’s 89th birthday (!) I already told y’all about my pre-flight preparations and the debacle that was my return trip to Austin. I even posted a recipe inspired by Wisconsin cheese.

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But then with the whirlwind that was my friend Liz’s arrival and subsequent five-day visit to Austin, coupled with a cherry recipe contest, I never got around to blogging about my trip to Wisconsin. As it is now Wednesday, it seemed like the perfect time to rejoin Jenn‘s What I Ate Wednesday blog party to share what I ate while actually in the cheese state.

Interestingly enough…none of it was cheese.
“You mean you went to the CHEESE state and you didn’t eat any cheese?”
That is exactly what I mean.

Yes, I made not one, but two cheese plates to serve as evening appetizers. I didn’t actually eat any of the cheese, though. I nibbled solely on the veggies that my family can put away in 10 minutes flat. [My cousin Lily did an exceptional number on the cauliflower.]

For me it was Chex (Mix).* Not cheese.

*My Grammie used to make the best homemade Chex Mix when we were younger, but she’s given up on that nowadays.Sister Smart made absolutely beautiful chocolate chip cookies…but unlike Paula Deen–who I swear once made peanut butter fudge that involved cheddar cheese–she did not add any Swiss or Gouda to the dough.

I had even prepared for my visit to “America’s Dairyland” by reading Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl, by Susan McCorkindale, a hilarious memoir of a former marketing VP’s adventures in farm life that I literally laughed out loud while reading. But, although I discovered that a pretty napkin will substitute quite nicely as a bookmark……the only dairy I discovered was that of the yogurt variety.Blue Bunny Light Strawberry and Raspberry yogurt (which I’ve only ever seen and eaten in Wisconsin) was my staple breakfast each morning, topped with berries and cereal of the Cheerios and raisin bran variety.Coffee was always a must, as was a dollop of my Grammie’s famous strawberry jam…kept for as long as I have been alive in this same glass jam jar.I made both a lemonade and limeade pie……but although creamy and cheesecake-like, there was no cheese involved in the making.On the Fourth of July, I ate an excess of watermelon and blueberries……from a fruit flag created by the staff at the club, in which the melon acted as stripes……and starfruit stood in for–well–stars.My cousin was much more interested in cotton candy……and I was interested in my new (fake) tattoo.Yet, despite my consumption of fruit, extra pickles, tomatoes, and some of Sister Smart’s BBQ chicken……the (incredible) burger that I split with my stepmom was of the plain, pure ‘ham’ family—no cheese involved.*
*There was no real ham involved, either.You’d think by now I’d have been saying, “Cheese, please!” but instead I was asking for more shrimp kebobs.And the grilled pineapple? Clearly the star of dinner that night.My excellent plan, executed to perfection by Papa Smart acting as grillmeister.And although he grilled shrimp and pineapple (and pork…and burgers…and brats…), not once did we ever grill CHEESE.I made my Wild Rice Salad (sans avocado and with cilantro instead of parsley)–fresh and amazing for summer.And I made a pretty pattern of tomatoes and cukes.For my Grandpa’s birthday dinner, I tried three different kinds of brats (all boiled for an hour in Leinenkugel with onions).I ate a shockingly delicious ice cream cake supplied by the freezer case at the local Dairy Queen.
I also drank my weight in Diet SunDrop.But not once, in the whole time I was in the cheese state that is Wisconsin, did I ever eat any cheese.