In honor of Milwaukee Day 4/14 we bring you some of our favorite Milwaukee products and things. Eat, drink, wear and use these products often and you can't go wrong!
Hang it: Cream City Speaks poster
The "Cream City Speaks" poster (a copy of which is in the OnMilwaukee office) is my favorite Milwaukee-themed product; let's pretend to be artistic, though, and call it a Milwaukee-themed "piece." Remarkably detailed and captivatingly creative, the print is made out of words relating to and names of places in Downtown Milwaukee. It's truly original (disregarding tired TV tropes of villains cutting out letters from magazines to make ransom notes and serial killer messages) and really cool.
When I moved back to Milwaukee, I first saw the poster on the apartment wall of a Chicago-native college friend who'd come here for a job; it was the first thing she bought honoring her new adopted city. I bought my poster (initially) four years ago at Summerfest, where I met Ms. Lockwood and she kindly signed my copy. That poster later was ruined during a move. My second edition was a gift from an ex-girlfriend, who then kept it for herself after we broke up. But my third "Cream City Speaks," purchased at SB Framing Gallery in the Third Ward and mounted on the "Milwaukee Art" wall in my apartment, has been a triumph. It's a reminder of the artistic verve we have in this city and the inspiring imagination of some of our people. And it's still fun to look and find the name of the bar I went to the previous night. – Jimmy Carlton
Eat them: El Rey lemon tostaditas
Picking a favorite Milwaukee product is kind of like picking a favorite child. But, I really, really, really love El Rey lemon tostaditas chips, and have for my entire life, and so here's a shout out to the crunchiest, sassiest chips in town that don't require a drop of salsa, guac or dip of any kind. Best of all, they are locally made. Olé! – Molly Snyder
Drink it: Lakefront Brewery Hop Jockey double IPA
There was a time when heavily hoppy beer turned me off. I downed lagers and stouts and reds and the rest but couldn't handle the hop as the star of the show. Now that's changed completely and on a recent trip to Europe I was disappointed that I could only find lagers in most places and mostly skipped beer. I find myself actually craving hoppiness, and these days have no desire for something like a lager. It's a phase perhaps. Or a maturing of the palate. Or a sign that my aging taste buds need something stronger to find satisfaction. Whatever the reason, I want a Hop Jockey, with its blend of citrus-y flavor and caramelish sweetness that comes from a mix of hops. It's got an earthy, pine-y twist, too. Make it nice and cold and I'll have two. But be careful, it clocks in at 8.2 percent ABV. – Bobby TanziloWear it: recombobulation area T-shirt
Milwaukee is the only city with a recombobulation area – as Molly Snyder detailed here – and although the word was invented by the former airport director, most Milwaukeeans consider it ours. It's a useful word, and I'd love to see it used in regular conversation. I have too many T-shirts already, but this one from local merchant Too Much Metal For One Hand is hard to resist. It's simple, cute, and very Milwaukee. – Liz Lincoln Steiner
Use them: all of them!
Wow, favorite Milwaukee product? It’s impossible to name just one. So, here are several. Those Usinger’s knifes that come with the gift boxes. They are simply fantastic, and are my favorite item in our kitchen. My blue Wisconsin Club baseball cap. My brown Allen Edmonds Neumok lace-ups. The dark chocolate almond clusters from Kehr’s. Triple mix popcorn at Goodie Gourmet. My 2016 OnMilwaukee skyline calendar poster. And, really anything in my closet that has Marquette or Bucks on it. How’s that? Happy Milwaukee Day. – Jeff Sherman
Try them: Milwaukee Pretzel Company
When it comes to Milwaukee, I've got more favorite things than I can count. But, I'm really particularly proud that we're home to myriad small businesses that are capitalizing on the city's history and making it their own. Take Milwaukee Pretzel Company for instance. I mean, what's more Milwaukee than beer and a pretzel? Especially when it's a pretzel made the old fashioned way with a nice slow fermentation and traditional lye dip. – Lori Fredrich
Make them: topped Pinah chips
It may not exactly be 414, but 262 seems close enough. Pinah are the base of my all time favorite appetizer. Coarsely grated Swiss cheese, chopped sweet onion and a little bit of mayonnaise spread on a Pinah chip and then placed under a broiler till the cheese melts. A wonderful appetizer, a wonderful Waukesha bakery. – Dave Begel
Top it off: Secret Stadium Sauce
What’s the secret of Secret Stadium Sauce? I’m pretty sure it’s ketchup, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still my favorite Miller Park condiment – and thus, my favorite Milwaukee product, too. Actually, the elixer was created by the president of Sportservice, Rick Ambramson, in the early ‘70s at County Stadium. I love this quote: "We were sort of running out of ketchup and mustard, and we needed a condiment. I took barbecue sauce, a little ketchup and mustard and smoked syrup and other ingredients and came up with secret stadium sauce. We said, 'We don't have (ketchup and mustard), but we have secret stadium sauce.’" Outside of Miller Park, you can buy this magical sauce in grocery stores statewide. –Andy Tarnoff