Ann Christenson

1 week ago | milwaukeemag.com | Ann Christenson

Of all the unexpected revelations about asparagus is the claim that it might cure a hangover – something about the vegetable’s amino acids helping the body break down alcohol. Remedy or not, asparagus does a body good! It’s also one of Wisconsin’s prized spring ingredients (yay, winter’s over!). And lucky us – two local farmers markets kick off the 2025 season this month (West Allis May 3 and Fondy May 10). Look for asparagus with firm spears that have a snap when you break them in half.

2 weeks ago | milwaukeemag.com | Ann Christenson

Some of the best news I’ve heard all week: SapSap, the Lao food concept created by local Lao-American chef Alex Hanesakda, is coming for us – and not in a pop-up form but a permanent residency at Zócalo Food Park (636 S. Sixth St.). Hanesakda set his opening day as May 22. His food has earned a well-deserved cult following so I’d expect to see lines at his truck. But go; the menu looks incredible!Hanesakda has been doing pop-ups around southeastern Wisconsin for years.

2 weeks ago | milwaukeemag.com | Ann Christenson

Jason Morimoto, executive chef of Mequon’s Screaming Tuna Sushi, is screaming with joy. After over 14 months keeping secret the news that he competed on – and won! – “Morimoto’s Sushi Master,” season 2, the cat is out of the bag. As of April 25, the full season (six episodes) is available to stream for free on the Roku Channel. Screaming Tuna’s chef Morimoto happens to share the same last name as the person for which the show is named – Masaharu Morimoto, the celebrated “Iron Chef” from Japan.

2 weeks ago | milwaukeemag.com | Ann Christenson

LISTEN TO “THIS BITES” ON 88NINE RADIO MILWAUKEE (FM 88.9) FRIDAYS AT 8 A.M. Homemade waffles are a beautiful thing. As they bake inside the iron, their toasty, nutty aroma can fill a whole room. And if done just right – crisp outside, tender and pillowy inside – when you cut into them, you’d swear there’s no better breakfast in the whole world. That’s why Rob Hausknecht makes them every weekend at Full of Beans, the Walker’s Point cafe he owns with his spouse, JoAnn.

3 weeks ago | milwaukeemag.com | Ann Christenson

Big Muskie was a massive walking dragline excavator, the largest ever made. Built in 1969 and designed by Bucyrus Erie – the heavy equipment manufacturing giant that defined industry in South Milwaukee for 130 years – Big Muskie stood nearly 22 stories tall and could move 39 million pounds of earth an hour.