Even if you're paying close attention, it's sometimes difficult to keep up with the latest in food news here in Milwaukee. So here's a taste of what's new and notable – including the "scoop" on Purple Door Ice Cream’s big move, Ruby Tap’s very first wine class, a craft beer dinner with New Belgium Brewing at Bacchus, and the skinny on the Seventh Annual Eat Local Resource Fair.

Purple Door announces plans to move to new location in Walker’s Point
Since last April, when Purple Door ice cream moved into their shared space with Clock Shadow Creamery, the local company has literally doubled its production. That good business has resulted in the necessity for the company to move to a larger location.

According to co-owner Lauren Schultz, the move to 205 S. 2nd St. will provide the company with 2,000 square feet of production and retail space, literally doubling its production facilities and tripling its storage space for ice cream. The move is scheduled to take place in January 2014.

More space will allow Purple Door to add new equipment and create a full ice cream shop with a 16-tub dipping cabinet and a full menu including cones, sundaes, shakes, malts, sodas, homemade waffle cones and ice cream flavor flights. The company will increase its production of pints, gallons and tubs of ice cream, as well as expand expand its novelty ice cream product line to include cakes, ice cream pops and more ice cream sandwiches. It also has plans to begin manufacturing its own ice cream sauces.

The new retail will have several tables/chairs, as well as a small seating counter looking out onto 2nd street. There will be a small viewing window in to production from the retail, as well as large viewing windows from the 2nd Street sidewalks. Outside seating will also be available. 

Schultz says one of the coolest things about the transition is that the company will be able to haul out some traditional family recipes, including her 92-year-old grandmother’s ice cream soda recipe, which she created when she worked at a family creamery in Southern Illinois in the 1940s. 

Until January, customers can look forward to several new flavors to be produced out of the Clock Shadow Creamery kitchen. Just released is a Fig and Black Tea flavor, as well as Blackberry Quark made with European cheese from the Creamery. Owners Lauren and Steve are experimenting with herbs from Alice’s Garden, and hope to unveil their first herbal flavored ice cream. They are also currently working on a beer flavored ice cream, as well as an absinthe flavored treat.

"The move will be bittersweet," says Schultz. "Of course are thrilled to have our first ice cream shop. It has been great to be at Clock Shadow Creamery and was a wonderful next step for us at the time. We will miss the Clock Shadow staff."

Ruby Tap wants YOU to know wine.
Join Ruby Tap, 1341 Wauwatosa Ave., for its very first wine class on Sunday, Aug. 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. This class, presented in an informal, approachable setting, will teach you the ins and outs of wine tasting from cork to table.

If you’re new to wine, or just want a refresher on the basic elements, this class is for you. The Core: Wine Fundamentals aims to provide an overall education on wine, including its structure. Instruction will include a lesson in how to identify tannins, acid, alcohol and sweetness. You’ll be able to develop your wine vocabulary and learn tasting etiquette.  The cost of the course includes tastings of six wines, along with a food and wine pairing exercise.   Want to attend? Register and pay online.

New Belgium Beer Dinner at Bacchus
Bacchus might be known for its great wine list, but Chef Nick Wirth also knows his way around a beer dinner. Wednesday, Aug. 14 beginning at 6:30 p.m., he’ll show off some of his best beer pairing skills with a menu featuring New Belgium Brewery’s rare "Lips of Faith" series.  

Offerings will include crispy flatbread with ham and Gruyere served with Shift Pale Lager, coriander crusted Skuna Bay salmon with Trippel Belgian Style Ale, beer steamed mussels in coconut curry sauce with Lips of Faith Coconut Curry Hefeweizen, beef spare ribs with shiitake mushrooms and chili-plum sauce with Lips of Faith Pluot Ale, and "Beer-a-Misu" with 1554 Enlightened Black Ale.

The dinner is $65 per person, plus tax and gratuity.  Make reservations by calling (414) 765-1166.

Eat Local Resource Fair aims to educate and inspire
On Saturday, Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eat Local Milwaukee will hold the Seventh Annual Eat Local Resource Fair at the Urban Ecology Center at Riverside Park, 1500 E. Park Pl.  Admission is free, and all are welcome.

The Resource Fair, made possible by a collaboration of the Urban Ecology Center and Outpost Natural Foods Co-op with the support of Slow Food WISE and MKEfoodies, is designed to encourage Milwaukeeans to support the local economy through their buying habits, particularly when it comes to food. The event also serves as a kick-off for the Milwaukee Eat Local Challenge, which takes place Sept. 1-15.

During the fair, interested consumers can chat with seasoned Challenge veterans about where to source hard-to-find local foods, purchase the Eat Local "Summer Splendor" cookbook and attend workshops and cooking demonstrations.

Attendees will also be able to sample and buy local bakery, preserves, cheeses, and beverages and chat with local vendors, including Angelic Bakehouse, Bolzano Artisan Meats, Milwaukee Pizza Company, Sugar River Dairy, Milwaukee Mustard Company, Just Coffee and more. Lunch will be available for purchase from food trucks, including Localiscious and The Gouda Girls.

In addition to awesome eats and great tips, the Resource Fair provides an opportunity for long-term relationship-building between local providers and their customers – creating an increasingly strong network of support for their products.