For the 10th straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee, presented by the restaurants of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, dining guides, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as voting for your "Best of Dining 2016."
Last year I read Edward Callary’s super interesting book "Place Names of Wisconsin" (published by the University of Wisconsin Press) and I must've been really really hungry when I finished, because the names of some Wisconsin towns and villages just jumped right out at me.
Almond
This village in Portage County, was established in 1850 by Methodist Episcopal minister Sheldon Doolittle, who named it in honor not of the nut – at least not directly – but for his native New York town in Allegany County.
Altoona
Oh, wait, wrong spelling. Never mind.
Angus
In Baron County, Angus, was founded in 1906 when a post office was opened by postmaster Matthew B. Uren. One might argue that’s putting the steer before the cart.
Apple River
According to the book, "the town (in Polk County) took its name from Apple River, a translation with shortening of French pomme de terre, literally, ‘apple of the earth,’ itself a translation probably based on Menominee wapeshipen, the name of a white tuber also known as ‘arrowhead’ or ‘duck potato.’"
Berry
Sorry, folks, this town in Dane County, isn’t named for fruit, but rather for early settler Berry Haney.
Candy Corners
Mmmmmm, Eau Claire County is sweeeet...
Chili
... and Clark County is spicy. Probably named for Chile, the country, by someone whose spelling was a tad wanting.
Cooks Valley and Cooksville
One ought to expect to eat well in these towns in Chippewa and Rock Counties.
Eaton and Eaton
One’s in Brown and one’s in Clark County. You can decide which is which. I’m hungry.
Egg Harbor & Fish Creek
The famous Door County town of Egg Harbor has a number of good breakfast options, including the Egg Harbor Cafe and The Village Cafe. Head to nearby Fish Creek for dinner, though. Especially on a Friday.
Frankfort & Hamburg
These two Marathon County towns were named in honor of German cities (despite some sketchy spelling again). You don’t have to choose, you can visit both. But you might wanna burn off some calories afterward with exercise.
Frenchville & Friesland
These towns in Clark and Columbia Counties, respectively, should be sister cities.
Mead
Founded in Clark County in 1895, this town was named not for the quaff but for William Henry Harrison Mead, a local politician. Not especially intoxicating, really.
Pershing
This Taylor County town formed in 1919 was named for a delicious donut. (Not really)
Rib Falls, Rib Lake and Rib Mountain
Three Rib joints in Marathon and Taylor Counties are named after nearby geological features. The name, which you might think implies great barbecue, comes from the translation of an Ojibwe word for the human back, opikwan.
South Fork & Spooner
One’s in River County and the other in Washburn, but they could work together so well.
Ubet
For a New York kid raised on chocolate egg creams, the name of this town in Polk County conjures only one thing.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
